Guy Bates

Football player infobox
playername = Guy Bates
height = 1.83 m
dateofbirth = Birth date and age|1985|10|31
cityofbirth = Newcastle upon Tyne
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Drogheda United
clubnumber = 25
position = Striker
youthyears = 1993-2004
youthclubs = Newcastle United
years = 2004-2005
2005
2006
2006-2007
2007-
clubs = Newcastle United
Newcastle United Jets
Darlington
KV Oostende
Drogheda United
caps(goals) = 00 (0)
03 (0)
09 (1)
24 (4)
03 (3)
pcupdate = 14:00, 4 August 2008 (UTC)

Guy Bates (born October 31, 1985 in Newcastle upon Tyne) is an English footballer who plays for Drogheda United in the Eircom Premier Division.

Career

Bates joined his hometown club Newcastle United at the age of 8 in 1993, and moved through the youth system, setting several junior goalscoring records during that time. [cite web| title=Top Guns – Jets Youth Aim High| url=http://www.newcastleunited.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=214&pageid=318| date=August 4, 2005| accessdate=July 1| accessyear=2006] With a view to progressing all the way to the firsts team, Bates played in the Newcastle Youth team up until 2004, with his goal taking the team to the final 16 in the 2003–04 FA Youth Cup. [cite web| title=Stoke City Youths 0, Newcastle United Youths 1| url=http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/newcastleunited/news/content_objectid=13840341_method=full_siteid=50081_headline=-Stoke%2DCity%2DYouths%2D0%2D%2DNewcastle%2DUnited%2DYouths%2D1-name_page.html| date=January 21, 2004| work=icNewcastle| accessdate=July 1| accessyear=2006] The following season, Bates found a regular spot in the Reserves team, making 15 appearances and scoring a goal in the 2004–05 season. [cite web| title=A-League Ex-Files: Newcastle United Jets FC| url=http://www.pintculture.com/default.asp?action=category&ID=70| work=pintculture.com| accessdate=July 1| accessyear=2006] Promotion into the firsts team proved significantly more difficult for Bates, however, as he was fighting for a place behind established strikers such as Alan Shearer, Shola Ameobi and Patrick Kluivert. [cite web| title=Jets sign Magpie Guy| url=http://www.theworldgame.com.au/a-league/index.php?pid=st&cid=55549| date=March 16, 2005| work=The World Game| accessdate=July 1| accessyear=2006] The lack of opportunities for Bates led him to seek a release from Newcastle and head to Australia in January 2005, where he trialled for the Newcastle United Jets. Two months later, in March, Bates signed a two-year deal with the newly established club, and spoke publicly about the possibility of a long-term stay in Australia. [cite web| title=Newcastle Jets signing Bates has eyes on Aussie cap| url=http://www.neurotribe.net/aleague/2005/04/newcastle-jets-signing-bates-has-eyes.html| date=April 19, 2005| accessdate=July 1| accessyear=2006]

Bates played and scored regularly in the Jets' pre-season campaign, but did not make his A-League debut until round 4 of the competition, playing 64 minutes in a 4-0 victory over New Zealand Knights. [cite web| title=Knightmare for rivals as Jets fire title warning| url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/football/knightmare-for-rivals-as-jets-fire-title-warning/2005/09/18/1126981946744.html| date=September 19, 2005| work=Sydney Morning Herald| last=Cockerill| first=Michael| accessdate=July 1| accessyear=2006] The match was one of just three appearances Bates made in the 2005–06 season, [cite web| title=Player Statistics| url=http://www.newcastlejets.com.au/default.aspx?s=playerstats| accessdate=July 1| accessyear=2006] and in November 2005, Bates was released by the club by mutual agreement, citing a lack of match time for wanting to leave. [cite web| title=Guy Bates Returns Home| url=http://www.newcastleunited.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=2461| date=November 22, 2005| accessdate=July 1| accessyear=2006] Bates returned home to England in the hope of joining another club during the European January transfer window. Bates trialled at both English League Two club Darlington and Belgian club K.V. Mechelen, receiving an offer from the latter after scoring a hat-trick in a trial game.cite web| title=Bates finds feet at Darlington| url=http://www.theworldgame.com.au/a-league/index.php?pid=st&cid=67874&section=st&tid=77| date=February 10, 2006| work=The World Game| accessdate=July 1| accessyear=2006] He turned it down however, to play in his home country with Darlington, for whom he had already scored for in a trial match against Hartlepool United. Bates officially joined Darlington on February 3, 2006, signing a short-term deal until June 2006. [cite web| title=Hodgson happy to give Bates short-term deal| url=http://archive.thenorthernecho.co.uk/2006/2/3/217590.html| date=February 3, 2006| accessdate=July 1| accessyear=2006] Bates made his Darlington league debut the day after signing, coming on as a substitute in the team's 0-0 draw with Boston United. Despite being unable to find the back of the net in that match, it took Bates just 10 minutes into his next appearance to score his first Darlington goal, in a 2-0 reserves win against Hull City. Over the remainder of the season, Bates could not find a regular starting spot in the Darlington line-up, and played just nine games for one goal as the team finished 8th in the league. [cite web| title=Breaking News| url=http://www.darlington.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=19032| date=May 17, 2006| accessdate=July 1| accessyear=2006] Bates was released by the club in May 2006, [cite web| title=Bates released by Darlington| url=http://www.theworldgame.com.au/a-league/index.php?pid=st&cid=71013&section=st&tid=77| date=May 19, 2006| work=The World Game| accessdate=July 1| accessyear=2006] . He then played for KV Oostende in the Belgian Second Division. Bates signed for Eircom Premier Division leaders Drogheda United July 31st, 2007.

Bates recently scored the winner against Cork City which won the title for Drogheda for the first time ever.

Honours

As a player

Drogheda United
*Eircom Premier Division Title winner: 2007

Footnotes

References

*cite web| title=Guy Bates Darlington FC player profile| url=http://www.football.co.uk/darlington/players/guy_bates_116558.shtml| accessdate=July 1| accessyear=2006