Ted Bates (footballer)
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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 | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Edric Thornton "Ted" Bates MBE (3 May 1918 – 28 November 2003) was a former Southampton F.C. player, manager, director and president which earned him the sobriquet Mr. Southampton.
Bates was born in Thetford and joined Saints on his 19th birthday in 1937, transferring from Norwich City. He soon forced his way into the first team as a centre forward. His career was interrupted by the Second World War, during which league football was suspended in England. He initially joined the War Reserve police force, spending his time on guard duty at the Shell-Mex oil depot at Hamble or the Pirelli-General cable works at Woolston. In the early part of the war, Bates still managed regular appearances for Saints in the wartime cups and leagues.
On 8 June 1940, Bates married Mary Smith at St. James's Church in Shirley, and that evening watched Saints play Charlton Athletic at The Dell. Shortly afterwards the Bates' home was bombed and they moved to West Wellow, where Mary found work with the NAAFI. Bates resigned from the War Reserve and went to work at the Folland Aircraft factory at Hamble, who also had a very good works football team, Folland Aircraft F.C. which, as well as Bates, included other professional players such as Bill Dodgin (Southampton), Harold Pond (Carlisle United), Bert Tann (Charlton), Dick Foss (Chelsea), Bill Bushby, Cliff Parker and Bill Rochford (all Portsmouth). Most of these players also guested for Saints in the War leagues.
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