Yates graduated through the ranks of the Crewe Alexandra youth system to become a professional in 2002 and spent five months on loan with Conference club Halifax Town from November to April of the 2003–04 season.

[5] Forced to compete with Darren Hockenhull for the right-back position at The Shay, Yates said that "It was a lot more competitive than the reserve team games I had been playing at Crewe".

[6] He was sent off for his part in a Boxing Day "mass brawl" during a 1–0 home victory over Scarborough; teammate James Dudgeon and opposition players Matt Redmile and Wayne Gill were also dismissed.

[9] Instead he returned to Harrison Park and became an almost permanent presence in the "Blues" defence during 2005–06 season, putting in a total of fifty appearances, also scoring once in the Northern Premier League.

[12] His return to the English Football League came at the end of the 2006–07 season as the "Shrimps" achieved promotion from the Conference National as play-off winners by beating Exeter City 2–1 in the final at Wembley Stadium.

[18] He was forced to wait until 22 August before he made his competitive debut for the club,[19] as Sam Stockley had impressed in the right-back position in the pre-season and opening few games of the 2009–10 season.

He was transfer listed in late September, along with the entire Port Vale squad, after manager Micky Adams saw his team slip to a third consecutive defeat.

[26] He continued to make the right-back spot his own in the 2010–11 season, and in February 2011 he became the first player to enter new contract negotiations with new manager Jim Gannon.

[41] Yates remained a key first-team player during the 2013–14 season and played 41 games as the club posted a ninth-place finish in League One.

[45] On 24 August, Yates joined League Two side Northampton Town on a one-month loan in order to provide "Cobblers" manager Chris Wilder with cover for the suspended Josh Lelan and injured Brendan Moloney.

[46] He played three games for the club, including a League Cup defeat to Newcastle United at St James' Park, before his loan spell was ended early by a thigh injury.

[51][52] On 5 August 2017, Yates joined National League side Macclesfield Town on a one-month loan to help his return to match fitness.

After returning to Port Vale, he collided with goalkeeper Sam Hornby during a reserve team match with former club Morecambe in November and came out with a fractured nose, cheekbones and eye sockets as well as a broken upper jaw and wrist; manager Neil Aspin said "I have never seen, on a football pitch, someone get the extent of the injuries he has got".

[66] He went on to complete a degree in Professional Sports Writing and Broadcasting at Staffordshire University, alongside Port Vale teammates Gareth Owen, Justin Richards, and Ritchie Sutton.

[67][68] Yates and teammate Tom Pope began the 2011–12 season as joint-managers of local amateur Sunday League side Sneyd,[69] fitting their management duties around their professional careers at Vale Park.

[70][71] After retiring as a player, Yates began working at the Hubb Foundation charity, ran by Port Vale chairwoman Carol Shanahan.