var playerInfo={"572BB26E7A76C211":"772","5BAE2FF41BC6AD03489546EF11EAFCB7":"1986-12-10","D39E7C23A464F86D":"1","B6B40535701B4CD0C0B8D7C99C269CE6":"","2278C81F60D7F1EC75F92E0677FAB34E":"Bradford AFC","41F6CDCCD6C1C3AD8ECAF53768B000E3":"<P><STRONG>TALL&nbsp;and skillful central defender who was an integral member of Boro&#39;s 2004 FA Youth Cup-winning team. <\/STRONG><\/P><P>He had also played in the previous year&#39;s final, against Manchester United, while still a schoolboy.<\/P><P>Teesside born and bred, Matthew has been with the club since he was 12 years old. <\/P><P>Has represented England at U18 level and was called up for first team duty as 17-year-old when he was named on the bench for the games against Bolton, Chelsea and Southampton in April 2004. <\/P><P>Was again a substitute for the historic UEFA Cup game against Banik Ostrava in September 2004.<\/P><P>At youth team and Reserve level Matthew has developed a formidable&nbsp;central defensive partnership with David Wheater.<\/P><P>Made his senior debut when playing for just over two minutes as he&nbsp;replaced Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink&nbsp;in a game against Manchester City at the Riverside on December 6 2004.<\/P><P>Signed a four and a half year contract in January 2005.<\/P><P>Started a Premiership game for the first time on August 20 2005 against Spurs at White Hart Lane and continued to make his mark on the first team throughout the 2005\/06 season, playing at both right-back and his more usual&nbsp;positon of centre-back.&nbsp;<\/P>","FD159EB5937AD12FA1FFAC9CD65B6CDA":"Anh","12F030D6FCEE9D12":"24137","7A976CFA8EAD315B":"Matthew Bates","185D9308B7C9E0BBE486C613A62D93FE":"2","C3DE130B7D4AB7DB":"Matthew Bates","E6AF7DF584DAD5AA":"Hartlepool United FC","EDBF020A791C65EC6DC356F5C22437AB":"26","7379EA3CEBE73A3F":"178cm","5BB437CAF240E475":"77kg","EBC62A89E472008E656D0DA73634C539":"","4FB95329DB27F065AB688F47FF3E7436":"2014-7-1","1A49EE26E6AAD5C6E965A1D5B61D9EEF":"Bradford AFC,Crawley Town,Bristol City,Middlesbrough,Norwich City,Ipswich","e_index":5};