Jamie Bates

James Alan Bates (born 24 February 1968) is an English former professional footballer who made over 520 appearances for Brentford as a central defender. In a Football League 125th anniversary poll, Bates was named as the Brentford supporters' third all-time favourite player. He also played league football for Wycombe Wanderers.

Career

Brentford

1986–1994 After spells as a schoolboy with Southampton, Orient and Crystal Palace, Bates joined Third Division club Brentford as a trainee in 1985. After later signing non-contract terms, he made his senior debut in October 1986. Owing to the fitness and form of Keith Millen and Terry Evans, Bates was unable to play his preferred centre back position, instead playing for long periods at full back. Brentford became a threat in the Third Division in the late 1980s and early 1990s and Bates was part of the team which reached the FA Cup quarter-finals in the 1988–89 season (Bates appeared as late substitute for Andy Feeley as the Bees were beaten 4–0 by Liverpool at Anfield) and went out in the 1991 play-off semi-finals to Tranmere Rovers.

Bates made 42 league appearances in a triumphant 1991–92 season for the Griffin Park club and won the first silverware of his career in the form of the Third Division championship. The team, however, lost 1–0 to Crewe Alexandra at Wembley Stadium.

Bates improved his appearance tally to 47 in the 1997–98 season, but a poor campaign saw the Bees relegated to the Third Division on the final day. The takeover of the club by Ron Noades during the 1998 off-season (who installed himself as manager) brought an influx of money and younger players. Though he was still a regular, Bates was soon superseded as captain by new record-signing Hermann Hreiðarsson. after making 526 appearances and scoring 24 goals in 13 years at Griffin Park. while the Chairboys were members of the Isthmian League Premier Division. He made 101 appearances and scored seven goals before retiring at the end of the 2000–01 season. The highest profile match of Bates' career came in April 2001, when he played in the Chairboys' FA Cup semi-final versus Liverpool at Villa Park, though he gave away a free kick which led to Liverpool's second goal in the 2–1 defeat.

Personal life After retiring from professional football, Bates became a postman. As of July 2010, Bates was working as a courier for a company in Orpington.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1986–87 0 27 1 1987–88 15 0 0 0 3 0 3 0 42 3 1991–92 1 35 2 1993–94 0 45 2 1995–96 0 50 2 1997–98 Third Division 27 1 3 1 4 1 2 32 1 5 0 4 0 0 0 41 1 2000–01 39 3 7 2 4 1 1 1998–99

Individual

Brentford Supporters' Player of the Year: 1994–95