John Yates (3 January 1861 – 1 June 1917)[1] was an English footballer who won the FA Cup with Blackburn Olympic in 1883 and made one appearance for England in 1889 playing on the left wing.

After a year, he joined Blackburn Olympic and was part of the team of tradesmen and weavers who achieved a small level of success in the 1880s, backed by local iron foundry owner Sid Yates and coached by former England player Jack Hunter.

Their greatest success came when they overcame the dominance of local rivals, Blackburn Rovers, and the amateur teams of southern England to win the FA Cup in 1883.

Jack Yates scored his League debut on 27 October 1888, playing as a winger, at Trent Bridge, then home of Notts County.

[6] He continued to make sporadic appearances for Burnley over the next few years, before retiring from playing in 1894, returning to his profession of cotton weaver.