Career
After his retirement from football, Bates qualified as a chiropodist. As a youth, Bates played local football in the Birmingham leagues. He later had a spell with Darlington, before joining Football League Second Division side Burnley in May 1910.
After four games out of the team Bates was selected for the first match of 1911, away at Glossop, and scored his first League goal in the 1–1 draw.
He scored twice in the following game, securing a 2–1 victory against Huddersfield Town with a penalty kick four minutes from time. Hampered by injury, Bates played just two first-team matches for Burnley during the 1911-1912 season.
Following his retirement from professional football in 1912, he was appointed assistant trainer at Burnley, and in 1919 he was promoted to senior trainer after the departure of Ernest Edwards. Bates acted as trainer to the England national team for the 1–2 defeat to Wales at Turf Moor on 28 November 1927.
He left Burnley in 1934, later becoming trainer at Newport County, before returning to live in Burnley.