Career
Yao moved to England as a child and showed enough promise as a young football player to be taken on at the West Ham United Academy. He spent two years as a scholarship player at the club appearing regularly in the Academy Youth League before he was released at the end of the 2004-2005 season. He played on trial at Barnsley in February and March 2005, Bristol City in March 2005 and two games on trial for Yeovil Town at the end of 2004–2005 season.
He also played number of reserve games on trial for Cheltenham Town, performing well enough to be offered a contract to finish the third year of his scholarship with the club
He made his Cheltenham Town debut as a substitute during the Football League Two match at home to Carlisle United on 17 September 2005, and in doing so he became the youngest player to play for Cheltenham Town in the Football League at the time, aged 18 years and 40 days old. He signed an extended contract with the club in April 2006, adding two years to his current contract.
On 20 December 2007, Yao joined Conference South club Weston-super-Mare on a one-month loan. He left the club in February 2008 by mutual consent. and in March joined Bishop"s Stortford.
He made his debut for the club on 4 March 2008 as a late substitute in a Conference South match against Welling United.
He started the 2009-2010 season playing for AFC Hornchurch before heading off to Boreham Wood, where he scored three goals in his first two matches, including a goal on his debut against Ashford Town in a Ryman Football League Premier division match He was released in late October 2009 He rejoined Hornchurch in January 2010, before signing for Harlow Town in June 2010, before being released and signing for AFC Hornchurch for a third time in October 2010. He then signed for Brentwood Town on 31 December 2010. In October 2012, Yao transferred from Witham Town to Tooting & Mitcham United.
