Ted Bates (footballer) facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Edric Thornton Bates | ||
| Date of birth | 3 May 1918 | ||
| Place of birth | Thetford, England | ||
| Date of death | 28 November 2003 (aged 85) | ||
| Place of death | Southampton, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1935–1936 | Norwich City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1936–1937 | Norwich City | 0 | (0) |
| 1936–1937 | Folland Aircraft | ||
| 1937–1953 | Southampton | 202 | (63) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1955–1973 | Southampton | ||
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Edric Thornton Bates, also known as Ted Bates, was a famous English footballer. He was born on May 3, 1918, and passed away on November 28, 2003. Ted played as a forward and spent almost his entire career at Southampton F.C.. He was a player, manager, director, and even the club's president. Because of his long dedication, people often called him Mr. Southampton.
Ted's father, Eddie Bates, was also a sportsman. He played both cricket for teams like Yorkshire and football for clubs such as Bolton Wanderers. Ted's grandfather, Billy Bates, was a very talented cricket player for England.
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Ted Bates' Playing Days
Ted Bates was born in Thetford, England. He joined Southampton, often called 'Saints', on his 19th birthday in 1937. He had previously played for Norwich City. Ted quickly became a key player in the first team as a centre-forward.
Football During Wartime
Ted's football career was paused by the Second World War. During this time, league football in England stopped. Ted first joined the War Reserve police force. He spent his time guarding important places like oil depots. Even during the war, Ted still played regularly for Saints in special wartime games.
In 1940, Ted married Mary Smith. Their home was later bombed, so they moved to West Wellow. Ted then started working at the Folland Aircraft factory. This factory also had a very good football team, Folland Aircraft F.C.. Many professional players, including Ted, played for this team. Many of these players also played for Saints during the war.
Ted's best playing years were between 1947 and 1951. He formed a strong partnership with another player named Charlie Wayman. Ted played his last first-team game on December 20, 1952. Overall, he played 216 games for Southampton and scored 64 goals.
Ted Bates as a Manager
After he stopped playing, Ted became a coach at Southampton in May 1953. He then became the manager in September 1955. At that time, Southampton was in the Third Division South.
Leading Saints to Success
Under Ted's leadership, Southampton moved up to the national Second Division in 1959. They won the Third Division championship that year. A player named Derek Reeves scored 39 goals, which was a club record.
Southampton then moved up to the top league, the First Division, in 1966. Ted helped the team stay in the First Division. He was great at finding and developing young players like Mick Channon and Ron Davies. Under his management, Southampton even qualified for European football in 1969 and 1971.
Stepping Down and FA Cup Win
Ted decided to stop being manager in December 1973. He had been manager for 18 years, which is a club record. Lawrie McMenemy took over from him. Ted then worked as McMenemy's assistant for a few years. This included Southampton's amazing FA Cup victory in 1976. Ted was the first person to congratulate the team after they won the final at Wembley.
Honours and Legacy
After his time as manager, Ted joined the Saints' board of directors. He served as a director for 20 more years. Later, he was made the club's president.
Recognized for Dedication
In 1998, Ted was given the freedom of the city of Southampton. This is a special honour. He also received the MBE award in 2001 for his great service to Southampton Football Club.
Ted Bates was seen as a local hero because of his dedication to the club for 66 years. When he passed away in November 2003, the club and its fans remembered him with great respect.
Ted Bates Trophy
In 2004, the Ted Bates Trophy was created. This was an annual friendly football match held by Southampton in Ted's honour. The first match was against Bayern Munich.
