Early career
Yeates played schoolboy football with Greenhills Boys and Cherry Orchard in Dublin. He started his senior career at Tottenham Hotspur, but first played professional football in loan spells with Brighton & Hove Albion and Swindon Town during the 2003–04 season. Loaned to Swindon as part of the transfer to Spurs of Swindon player Leigh Mills, Yeates only played four games before being returned to White Hart Lane after a disagreement with then manager Andy King. He made his Spurs debut against Wolves on the final day of the 2003–04 Premier League season, setting up a goal for Robbie Keane. He made three first team appearances for Spurs.
During the 2005–06 season, Yeates played on long-term loan at Colchester United, scoring five league goals, as they achieved promotion from League One. He also nearly scored but hit the post in that seasons FA cup run against Chelsea.
Prior to 2006–07 Yeates signed a two-year contract extension with Spurs. He joined Championship team Hull City on a season-long loan, but hardly featured for them before returning to his parent club midway through the season.
He then signed a loan contract until the end of the 2006–07 season with another Championship side, Leicester City. He scored on his Leicester début at the Walkers Stadium in a 1–1 draw with Luton Town. On 25 April 2007, having only featured 16 times for Leicester, and not once under caretaker manager Nigel Worthington, he was allowed to return to Spurs after being deemed surplus to requirements.
