Phil Bates (footballer)

Philip William Bates (16 November 1897 – 19 January 1974) was an English professional footballer who played as a centre half in the Football League for Crystal Palace.[1][3]

Phil Bates
Personal information
Full name Philip William Bates[1]
Date of birth 16 November 1897
Place of birth Penge, England
Date of death 19 January 1974(1974-01-19) (aged 76)[2]
Place of death Beckenham, England[2]
Position(s) Centre half
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Beckenham Wanderers
1919–1921 Crystal Palace 66 (3)
Scunthorpe & Lindsey United
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Personal life

Prior to the First World War, Bates worked in his family's greengrocer business.[2] After the outbreak of the war in 1914, he attested in the Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) and gave his age as 19 years and 9 months, three years older than he was in reality.[2] After a period training, Bates' battalion arrived on the Western Front in June 1915.[2] He was wounded in the right arm in March 1916 and evacuated to Wharncliffe War Hospital in Sheffield.[2] The resultant paralysis, caused by arthritis, led to Bates' discharge from the army later in the year.[2] Despite the injury, he was able to return to work as a grocer and to football,[4] though he was only able to play until he was forced into retirement in 1921.[2] After the war, Bates married and established a grocer's in Beckenham.[2] His business was damaged by a V-1 flying bomb during the Second World War.[4] He died of lung cancer at Beckenham Hospital in 1974.[2]

Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Crystal Palace 1919–20[5] Southern League First Division 26 1 0 0 26 1
1920–21[5] Third Division 40 2 2 0 42 2
Career total 66 3 2 0 68 3

Honours

Crystal Palace

References
  1. Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 20. ISBN 190589161X.
  2. Wiseman, Peter. "Philip William Bates – One-armed centre half of the 1920s Crystal Palace Football team" (PDF). pp. 4–6. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  3. "Phil Bates". Holmesdale Online. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  4. "Fag break saved market worker when V2 struck". Gravesend Reporter. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  5. "Bates Phil Crystal Palace 1920". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 16 January 2021.


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