Dean Yates

Who is Dean Yates?

Dean Yates is a retired English football defender. He is currently commentating alongside Colin Slater for BBC Radio Nottingham on their coverage of Notts County matches. He is now living in Burton Joyce close to the home ground of Notts County.

He enjoyed considerable success as a player, making his Notts County debut in their 1984-85 Second Division campaign which ended in relegation. He was a regular first team player from 1985-86 onwards, helping them win promotion back to the Second Division in 1990 and to the First Division a year later. However, a serious knee injury in February 1992 ruled him out for the next two years and meant that County were without him when they needed him most - during the final quarter of the 1991-92 season when they battled against relegation from the First Division. The relegation battle was lost, and he managed just one appearance in the 1993-94 season as he made his comeback from injury.

He was fully fit for the 1994-95 season, but his presence in the team wasn't enough to prevent a relegation battle which was ultimately lost.

By the time County went down from Division One, Yates had transferred to their local rivals Derby County - a £350,000 fee taking him to the Baseball Ground on 26 January 1995. He had played 314 league games in 10 years for Notts County.