 Yeates in 2014 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mark Stephen Anthony Yeates[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1985-01-11)11 January 1985 (age 41) | ||
| Place of birth | Tallaght, Ireland | ||
| Position | Winger | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2002–2007 | Tottenham Hotspur | 3 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | →Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 2004 | →Swindon Town (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2005–2006 | →Colchester United (loan) | 44 | (5) |
| 2006–2007 | →Hull City (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2007 | →Leicester City (loan) | 9 | (1) |
| 2007–2009 | Colchester United | 72 | (20) |
| 2009–2010 | Middlesbrough | 19 | (1) |
| 2010–2011 | Sheffield United | 55 | (7) |
| 2011–2013 | Watford | 62 | (7) |
| 2013–2015 | Bradford City | 70 | (5) |
| 2015–2016 | Oldham Athletic | 16 | (1) |
| 2016–2017 | Blackpool | 16 | (0) |
| 2017 | Notts County | 14 | (0) |
| 2017–2019 | Eastleigh | 89 | (9) |
| 2019–2020 | AFC Fylde | 29 | (1) |
| 2020–2022 | Bamber Bridge | 40 | (4) |
| Total | 556 | (61) | |
| International career | |||
| Republic of Ireland U21 | 3 | (0) | |
| 2007 | Republic of Ireland B | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Mark Stephen Anthony Yeates (born 11 January 1985) is an Irish professionalfootball coach and formerplayer who played as awinger.
Yeates began his career withTottenham Hotspur but failed to make the transition to the first team, spending time on loan atBrighton & Hove Albion,Swindon Town,Colchester United,Hull City andLeicester City. On leaving Spurs he returned on a permanent deal to Colchester before spells withMiddlesbrough,Sheffield United,Watford,Bradford City,Oldham Athletic,Blackpool andNotts County. He has three under-21caps for theRepublic of Ireland.
Yeates played schoolboy football with Greenhills Boys andCherry Orchard in Dublin.[2] He started his senior career atTottenham Hotspur, but first played professional football in loan spells withBrighton & Hove Albion andSwindon Town during the2003–04 season. Loaned to Swindon as part of the transfer to Spurs of Swindon playerLeigh Mills, Yeates only played four games before being returned toWhite Hart Lane after a disagreement with then managerAndy King. He made his Spurs debut againstWolves on the final day of the 2003–04Premier League season, setting up a goal forRobbie Keane. He made three first team appearances for Spurs.
During the2005–06 season, Yeates played on long-term loan atColchester United, scoring five league goals, as they achieved promotion fromLeague One. He also nearly scored but hit the post in that seasons FA cup run againstChelsea.
Prior to2006–07 Yeates signed a two-year contract extension with Spurs. He joinedChampionship teamHull City on a season-long loan, but hardly featured for them before returning to his parent club midway through the season.
He then signed a loan contract until the end of the 2006–07 season with another Championship side,Leicester City. He scored on his Leicester début at theWalkers Stadium in a 1–1 draw withLuton Town.[3] On 25 April 2007, having only featured 16 times for Leicester, and not once undercaretaker managerNigel Worthington, he was allowed to return to Spurs after being deemed surplus to requirements.
On 3 July 2007 he completed a permanent move toColchester United.[4] Yeates was set to sign for Crystal Palace Football Club, but due to the fact that he failed his medical, the transfer was abandoned. He had a productive year in League One, during which time, he scored the first competitive goal at the newColchester Community Stadium in a game against Oldham.[5]
Yeates then signed for newly relegated Championship teamMiddlesbrough for £500,000 on 26 June 2009.[6][7] He made his début for Middlesbrough on 7 August 2009 in a 0–0 draw withSheffield United.[8] In and out of the team in the first part of the season, he scored what turned out to be his only goal for Middlesbrough in their 5–1 win overQPR in December 2009.[9]
After finding himself surplus to requirements under new bossGordon Strachan, Yeates signed for Boro's Championship rivalsSheffield United.[10] He scored his first goal for Sheffield United in a 2–1 defeat at Preston North End on 9 February 2010.[11] Having made the move, Yeates found himself playing no more regularly atBramall Lane than at Middlesbrough. In an eighteen-month stay, he was in and out of the side and never showed any real consistency. By the timeMicky Adams took over as manager of the Blades, Yeates was virtually frozen out of the first team altogether.[12]
In July 2011, Yeates signed forWatford on a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee.[13] He scored on his debut againstBurnley to put Watford 2–0 up, with the game finishing 2–2.[14] Yeates was a regular in the Watford side up until theirFA Cup clash againstTottenham Hotspur on 27 January, in which he lost his place toSean Murray. However, he continued to make substitute appearances and retained his place in the squad the following season under then-new manager,Gianfranco Zola. During this period, Yeates was primarily played in a central role rather than his usual wide position, with Yeates stating that he actually preferred this new position[15]
On 7 June 2013, Watford announced that Yeates' contract would not be renewed and he was to be released as a free agent.[16]
On 3 July 2013, Yeates signed a two-year contract withBradford City,[17] the third time that Yeates had worked under managerPhil Parkinson, having previously played under him at Hull City and Colchester United.[18] Yeates made his Bradford debut on 3 August, the opening day of the season, playing 66 minutes of a 2–2 draw againstBristol City.[19] and scored his first goal for the club during his second appearance, in a 4–0 win againstCarlisle United.[20] On 26 November, Yeates came off the bench to score his second goal for the club in a 1–1 draw againstNotts County.[21]
On 25 August 2015, Yeates joinedOldham Athletic on a short-term deal.[22] Yeates scored one goal in 20 games for the club.
On 7 January 2016, Yeates joinedBlackpool on an initial 18-month deal fromOldham Athletic with the option for a further year.[23]
On 30 January 2017, Yeates signed forNotts County.[24]
On 28 June 2017, Yeates joinedNational League sideEastleigh on a two-year deal.[25]
Yeates left Eastleigh to joinAFC Fylde on 12 June 2019.[26]
Yeates joinedBamber Bridge from AFC Fylde in September 2020.[27]
Yeates joined the academy coaching staff atFleetwood Town, working with the under-13s. He was appointed to a full-time role within the academy in September 2021.[28] He became the under-18s assistant coach in July 2022,[29] before becoming head coach of the under-18s in January 2023, guiding the team to the fifth round of the2022–23 FA Youth Cup.[30] On 29 September 2025, Yeates was announced as interim assistant manager of Fleetwood Town's sister clubWaterford until the end of theirLeague of Ireland Premier Division season in November, working under interim head coach Matt Lawlor following the sacking ofJohn Coleman.[31]
His late father Stephen played forShelbourne,Shamock Rovers (two goals in 11 appearances in 1989–90),Athlone Town andKilkenny City.[32]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Tottenham Hotspur | 2002–03[33] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2003–04[34] | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2004–05[35] | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2005–06[36] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2006–07[37] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 2003–04[34] | Second Division | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Swindon Town (loan) | 2004–05[35] | League One | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Colchester United (loan) | 2005–06[36] | League One | 44 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 52 | 6 |
| Hull City (loan) | 2006–07[37] | Championship | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | |
| Leicester City (loan) | 2006–07[37] | Championship | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 9 | 1 | |
| Colchester United | 2007–08[38] | Championship | 29 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 31 | 8 | |
| 2008–09[39] | League One | 43 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4[a] | 1 | 50 | 13 | |
| Total | 72 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 81 | 21 | ||
| Middlesbrough | 2009–10[40] | Championship | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 21 | 1 | |
| Sheffield United | 2009–10[40] | Championship | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 20 | 2 | |
| 2010–11[41] | Championship | 35 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 36 | 5 | ||
| Total | 55 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 56 | 7 | |||
| Watford | 2011–12[42] | Championship | 33 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 36 | 3 | |
| 2012–13[43] | Championship | 29 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 4 | |
| Total | 62 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 66 | 7 | ||
| Bradford City | 2013–14[44] | League One | 29 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 31 | 2 |
| 2014–15[45][b] | League One | 41 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 51 | 5 | |
| Total | 70 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 82 | 7 | ||
| Oldham Athletic | 2015–16[48] | League One | 16 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 20 | 1 |
| Blackpool | 2015–16[48] | League One | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| 2016–17[49] | League Two | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5[c] | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
| Total | 16 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 27 | 0 | ||
| Notts County | 2016–17[49] | League Two | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Eastleigh | 2017–18[50][51][52] | National League | 45 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | 1[d] | 0 | 47 | 5 | |
| 2018–19[53][54][55] | National League | 44 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | 3[e] | 0 | 48 | 4 | ||
| Total | 89 | 9 | 2 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 95 | 9 | |||
| AFC Fylde | 2019–20[56][57][58] | National League | 29 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | 3[d] | 0 | 36 | 1 | |
| Bamber Bridge | 2020–21[59] | Northern Premier League Premier Division | 7 | 0 | — | — | 1[d] | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22[60] | Northern Premier League Premier Division | 33 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 34 | 4 | ||
| Total | 40 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 42 | 4 | |||
| Career totals | 556 | 61 | 33 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 626 | 65 | ||
Colchester United
