Lewis Michael Bate (born 28 October 2002) is an English professional

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...

who plays as a

midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...

and captains club

Stockport County Stockport County Football Club is a professional association football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. The team competes in EFL League One, the third tier of the English football league system. Formed in 1883 as Heaton ...

Early life

Born in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, Bate started his career with local

Sidcup Sidcup is an area of south-east London, England, primarily in the London Borough of Bexley. It is south-east of Charing Cross, bordering the London Boroughs of London Borough of Bromley, Bromley and Royal Borough of Greenwich, Greenwich. It was ...

-based side Foots Cray Lions, before joining Chelsea at under-8 level. He has listed Chelsea and Liverpool legends

Frank Lampard Frank James Lampard (born 20 June 1978) is an English professional football manager and former player who is the manager of English club Coventry City. Widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time, one of Chelsea's greates ...

and

Steven Gerrard Steven George Gerrard MBE (born 30 May 1980) is an English professional football manager and a former player. Widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time and one of Liverpool's greatest ever players,Leeds United Leeds United Football Club is a professional football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The team compete in the Premier League, the top tier of the English football league system. Leeds United have won the League Championship th ...

announced the signing of Bate on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee believed to be £1.5 million. Since signing, Bate has been tipped to be fast-tracked into the first team squad after impressing at under-23 level. He scored his first goal for Leeds under-23s on 4 November 2021 in a 5–3

EFL Trophy The English Football League Trophy, officially known as the Vertu Motors, Vertu Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football, football knockout competition open to all clubs in EFL League One and EFL League Two and ...

loss to Salford City. 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. He made his

Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...

debut the following week, also at West Ham, when he came on as a first half replacement for

Adam Forshaw Adam John Forshaw (born 8 October 1991) is an English professional association football, footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Blackburn Rovers F.C., Blackburn Rovers. Forshaw began his career in the Everton F.C. Reserves and Academy, a ...

, but was taken off midway through the second half, with Leeds 3–2 ahead, in a tactical substitution for

Rodrigo Rodrigo () is a Spanish, Portuguese and Italian name derived from the Germanic name ''Roderick'' ( Gothic ''*Hroþareiks'', via Latinized ''Rodericus'' or ''Rudericus''), given specifically in reference to either King Roderic (d. 712), the la ...

. Bate was released by Leeds in June 2024 at the conclusion of his contract.

Oxford United (loan)

On 4 August 2022, Bate joined

Oxford United Oxford United Football Club () is a professional association football, football club based in Oxford, England. The club compete in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football league system, English football. Founded as Headingto ...

League One League One or League 1 may refer to: Association football * EFL League One, the third tier of football in England. * China League One, the second tier of football in China * K League 1, the top-tier football in South Korea * Lao League 1 * Lea ...

on loan for the duration of the 2022–23 season. He suffered a hand injury in a game against

Derby County Derby County Football Club () is a professional association football club in Derby, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the English football league system. One of the 12 founder members of the English Football ...

on 11 March 2023 and, apart from a brief substitute appearance in the following game, was not expected to make further appearances. Before his injury he had made 26 league appearances, scoring once.

Milton Keynes Dons (loan)

On 19 January 2024, Bate joined League Two club

Milton Keynes Dons Milton Keynes Dons Football Club, usually abbreviated to MK Dons, is a professional association football club based in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. The team competes in EFL League Two, the fourth level of the English football leag ...

until the end of the 2023–24 season.

Stockport County

On 20 June 2024 it was announced that Lewis had signed a three-year contract with Stockport County. He was handed the captain's armband ahead of the 2024–25 season.

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 Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Style of play

A strong passer and dribbler, while also being good in a tackle, Bate can play in numerous midfield roles. He has been described as strong both defensively and going forward, and has been compared to former Netherlands international footballer

Clarence Seedorf Clarence Clyde Seedorf (; born 1 April 1976) is a Dutch former professional Association football, football manager and player. He is regarded by many as one of the greatest midfielders of all time. He is currently working primarily remotely as ...

for his ability to control play.

Career statistics

Honours

Individual * EFL League One Team of the Season: 2024–25

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bate, Lewis 2002 births Living people People from Sidcup English men's footballers Premier League players England men's youth international footballers Men's association football midfielders Chelsea F.C. players Leeds United F.C. players Oxford United F.C. players Milton Keynes Dons F.C. players Stockport County F.C. players Footballers from the London Borough of Bexley English Football League players 21st-century English sportsmen