Lewis Bate
{{Short description|English footballer (born 2002)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Lewis Bate
| image = LewisBate-01.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Lewis Bate in action for Stockport County
| fullname = Lewis Michael Bate{{cite web|url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/2163099|title=Premier League clubs publish 2020/21 retained lists|date=4 June 2021|accessdate=4 November 2021|website=premierleague.com}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|10|28|df=y}}
| birth_place = Sidcup, London, England{{WorldFootball.net|lewis-bate}}{{cite web |title=Lewis Bate – the Sidcup Seedorf |url=https://thechelseaspot.com/2020/08/05/lewis-bate-the-sidcup-seedorf/ |website=The Chelsea Spot |access-date=24 December 2021}}
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = Stockport County
| clubnumber = 4
| youthyears1 = 2009–2011
| youthclubs1 = Foots Cray Lions
| youthyears2 = 2011–2021
| youthclubs2 = Chelsea
| years1 = 2021–2024
| clubs1 = Leeds United
| caps1 = 3
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2022–2023
| clubs2 = → Oxford United (loan)
| caps2 = 28
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2024
| clubs3 = → Milton Keynes Dons (loan)
| caps3 = 20
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2024–
| clubs4 = Stockport County
| caps4 = 25
| goals4 = 2
| nationalyears1 = 2018–2019
| nationalteam1 = England U17
| nationalcaps1 = 7
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2019
| nationalteam2 = England U18
| nationalcaps2 = 2
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2021–
| nationalteam3 = England U20
| nationalcaps3 = 4
| nationalgoals3 = 1
| club-update = 23 February 2025 (UTC)
| ntupdate = 17:14, 12 November 2021 (UTC)
}}
Lewis Michael Bate (born 28 October 2002) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder and captains {{English football updater|StockpoC}} club Stockport County.
Early life
Born in London, Bate started his career with local Sidcup-based side Foots Cray Lions, before joining Chelsea at under-8 level.{{cite web|url=https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2019/11/09/teenage-kicks--lewis-bate|title=Teenage kicks: Lewis Bate|date=9 November 2019|accessdate=4 November 2021|publisher=Chelsea F.C.}}{{cite web|url=https://www.leedsunited.com/news/team-news/28381/leeds-united-complete-lewis-bate-signing-from-chelsea|title=Leeds United Complete Lewis Bate Signing from Chelsea|date=22 July 2021|accessdate=4 November 2021|publisher=Leeds United F.C.}} He has listed Chelsea and Liverpool legends Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard as players he looked up to as a child.{{cite web|url=https://www.90min.com/posts/lewis-bate-things-to-know-about-leeds-united-new-starlet|title=Lewis Bate: Things to know about Leeds United's new starlet|first=Tom|last=Gott|date=22 July 2021|accessdate=4 November 2021|website=90min.com}}
Club career
=Chelsea=
After playing a key role for Chelsea's under-18 and under-23 sides, Bate was included on the bench for the Chelsea first team three times.{{Soccerway|lewis-bate/549748}} However, he did not feature for the first team, and was linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge in 2021, having rejected a contract offer with The Blues.{{cite web|url=https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/chelsea-wonderkid-bate-close-to-joining-leeds-after/pl29r1bd5xzs1how6kukz3blg|title=Chelsea wonderkid Bate close to joining Leeds after rejecting new Blues contract|first=Nizaar|last=Kinsella|date=20 July 2021|accessdate=4 November 2021|website=goal.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/transfer-news/uk-premier-league/2021/07/who-is-lewis-bate-chelsea-starlet-set-leeds-united-switch|title=Who is Lewis Bate? The Chelsea starlet set for Leeds United switch|first=Paul|last=Macdonald|date=20 July 2021|accessdate=4 November 2021|website=footballtransfers.com}}
=Leeds United=
On 21 July 2021, Leeds United announced the signing of Bate on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee believed to be £1.5 million.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/c41yvwk8w45o|title=Leeds seal deal for Chelsea teenager Bate|date=22 July 2021|accessdate=4 November 2021|publisher=BBC Sport}}{{cite web|url=https://theathletic.com/news/leeds-complete-transfer-of-lewis-bate-from-chelsea/qrEKsraIi0Kd/|title=Leeds complete transfer of Lewis Bate from Chelsea|first1=Phil|last1=Hay|first2=Darren|last2=Richman|date=22 July 2021|accessdate=4 November 2021|website=theathletic.com}} Since signing, Bate has been tipped to be fast-tracked into the first team squad after impressing at under-23 level.{{cite web|url=https://www.givemesport.com/1775126-leeds-latest-news-hugely-promising-teenager-could-have-development-accelerated|title=Leeds latest news: Hugely promising teenager could have development "accelerated"|first=Sam|last=Brookes|date=26 October 2021|accessdate=4 November 2021|website=givemesport.com}} He scored his first goal for Leeds under-23s on 4 November 2021 in a 5–3 EFL Trophy loss to Salford City.{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/lewis-bate-opens-leeds-united-account-with-sensational-solo-goal-as-salford-city-knock-the-whites-out-of-the-efl-trophy-3443833|title=Lewis Bate opens Leeds United account with sensational solo goal as Salford City knock the Whites out of the EFL Trophy|first=Flora|last=Snelson|date=3 November 2021|accessdate=4 November 2021|newspaper=Yorkshire Evening Post}} Bate made his senior debut for Leeds United on 9 January 2022 in the starting line-up for the 2–0 FA Cup third round defeat to West Ham United.{{Cite web
|title=Leeds United complete Leo Hjelde swoop|url=https://www.leedsunited.com/news/team-news/28615/leeds-united-complete-leo-hjelde-swoop|access-date=2021-08-30|publisher=Leeds United F.C.|date=2021-08-27}} He made his Premier League debut the following week, also at West Ham, when he came on as a first half replacement for Adam Forshaw, but was taken off midway through the second half, with Leeds 3–2 ahead, in a tactical substitution for Rodrigo.{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2022/jan/16/west-ham-v-leeds-premier-league-live | newspaper=The Guardian|title=West Ham v Leeds: Premier League Live! |last=Steinberg|first=Jacob|date=16 January 2022|access-date=16 January 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/jan/16/west-ham-leeds-premier-league-match-report| newspaper=The Guardian |title=West Ham 2–3 Leeds United: Harrison hat-trick dents Hammers' top-four push|last=Steinberg|first=Jacob|date=16 January 2022|access-date=16 January 2022}}
Bate was released by Leeds in June 2024 at the conclusion of his contract.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c72219y5rv0o Leeds retained list]
==Oxford United (loan)==
On 4 August 2022, Bate joined Oxford United of League One on loan for the duration of the 2022–23 season.{{cite web |url=https://www.oufc.co.uk/news/2022/august/lewis-bate-joins-oxford-united/ |title=Lewis Bate Joins Oxford United |date=4 August 2022 |publisher=Oxford United F.C |access-date=4 August 2022}} He suffered a hand injury in a game against Derby County on 11 March 2023 and, apart from a brief substitute appearance in the following game,{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64923435 |title=Morecambe 1–1 Oxford United |date=18 March 2023 |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=30 April 2023}} was not expected to make further appearances.{{cite web |url=https://www.oufc.co.uk/news/2023/march/lewis-bate-injury/ |title=Bate Injury Blow |date=23 March 2023 |publisher=Oxford United F.C. |access-date=30 April 2023}} Before his injury he had made 26 league appearances, scoring once.{{Soccerbase|130358}}
== Milton Keynes Dons (loan) ==
On 19 January 2024, Bate joined League Two club Milton Keynes Dons until the end of the 2023–24 season.{{Cite news |title=MK Dons sign Villa's Marschall and Bate from Leeds |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/68034592 |access-date=2024-01-19 |work=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}
=Stockport County=
On 20 June 2024 it was announced that Lewis had signed a three-year contract with Stockport County.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-20 |title=Our latest Summer signing: Lewis Bate |url=https://www.stockportcounty.com/our-latest-summer-signing-lewis-bate/ |access-date=2024-06-20 |website=Stockport County |language=en-US}} He was handed the captain's armband ahead of the 2024–25 season.{{Cite web |last=Richardson |first=Liam |date=2024-08-10 |title=Lewis Bate named as new County captain |url=https://www.stockportcounty.com/lewis-bate-named-as-new-county-captain/ |access-date=2024-08-11 |website=Stockport County |language=en-US}}
International career
Bate has represented England at under-17, under-18 and under-20 level. He scored his first goal for the England under-20s in a 1–1 draw with Italy.{{cite web|url=https://www.englandfootball.com/articles/2021/Oct/07/england-mu20s-italy-match-report-20210710|title=Match Report: England MU20 1–1 Italy|date=7 October 2021|accessdate=4 November 2021|website=englandfootball.com}}
Style of play
A strong passer and dribbler, while also being good in a tackle, Bate can play in numerous midfield roles.{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/lewis-bate-the-versatile-former-chelsea-midfielder-who-wants-trophies-with-leeds-united-3409600|title=Lewis Bate: the versatile former Chelsea midfielder who wants trophies with Leeds United|first=Flora|last=Snelson|date=8 October 2021|accessdate=4 November 2021|newspaper=Yorkshire Evening Post}} He has been described as strong both defensively and going forward, and has been compared to former Netherlands international footballer Clarence Seedorf for his ability to control play.
Career statistics
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||||
| rowspan=2|Club
!rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|FA Cup !colspan=2|EFL Cup !colspan=2|Europe !colspan=2|Other !colspan=2|Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Chelsea U21
|colspan="3"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 2{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearances in the EFL Trophy}} | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| Leeds United U21
|colspan="3"|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 2{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 1 | 2 | 1 | |||||
| rowspan="3"|Leeds United
|2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 3 | 0 | |||
| 2023–24
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 1 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Oxford United (loan)
|28 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 2{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 0 | 35 | 1 | ||
| colspan=3|Career total
!30||1||4||0||3||0||colspan=2|—||6||1||43||2 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
{{Stockport County F.C. squad}}
{{2024–25 EFL League One Team of the Season}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bate, Lewis}}
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Premier League players
Category:England men's youth international footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Leeds United F.C. players
Category:Oxford United F.C. players
Category:Milton Keynes Dons F.C. players
Category:Stockport County F.C. players
Category:Footballers from the London Borough of Bexley