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 Though he was still a regular, Bates was soon superseded as captain by new record-signing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 ==