Stockport County look to have played blinder after Leeds United decision | OneFootball

Lewis Bate has been a superb addition to Stockport County this season.

Stockport County will be pleased with their start to the 2024-25 campaign, as the Hatters currently sit in fourth place, five points off the top of League One.

Initially, Dave Challinor's side were struggling to convert draws into wins, but they have picked that up, taking nine points from the last 12 available.

The target will be to carry this form on and with a midweek match against Birmingham City upcoming they will know they can close the three-point gap even further.

If they are to get a result at St Andrews, a man who will be pivotal in the performance is Lewis Bate. The former Chelsea and Leeds United prospect has been in exceptional form this season, playing a key role in controlling the tempo and dictating play from Challinor's midfield.

On top of this, his leadership abilities haven't gone unnoticed after Bate was surprisingly made captain of the Hatters prior to the campaign's commencement in August.

Now, the 22-year-old will be desperate to continue this form and prove to his former employers that he was worth taking a chance on.

Leeds United waved goodbye to Bate back in June, as after three years with the club he departed having made just five first-team appearances.

Having been bought for an initial £1.5 million from Chelsea, much more was expected of the prodigy at Elland Road, but he never displayed the ability to secure regular game time.

This is a huge contrast to his short time so far at Stockport, where he has become possibly the most influential player at the club outside of Louie Barry.

In all competitions, Bate has captained County 15 times to this point and has been in sparkling form in recent weeks - picking up the Man of the Match award in three of the last six games.

Overall, according to FotMob, his average match rating stands at 7.23, a figure well-reflected in his passing statistics, which rank among the best for midfielders in the third tier. After 13 games in League One, he is in the top 12% of midfielders for successful passes, pass accuracy, and accurate long balls per 90 minutes.

His defensive output has also been strong, with his figure of 7.48 recoveries per game higher than 98% of his midfield counterparts.

If Bate can continue this impressive form, then he could be the catalyst behind the Hatters securing a play-off spot or even automatic promotion.

While Bate received little to no opportunities at Elland Road, some fans may be questioning as to why they didn't retain him for a further period.

At 22-years-old, very few players have reached their potential and in a squad that has been dealt long-term injuries to Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev, an extra body would have been helpful.

His departure from the Yorkshire club has likely only added fuel to Bate's determination to prove his former employers wrong. To this point, nothing is quite proven as a season isn't made after 16 games, but the form he has shown and the trust Challinor has placed in him suggests that the former Whites man is really going somewhere.

With a bit of luck, next season could see both teams competing in the same division. For now, however, Bate’s focus must remain on helping the Hatters secure more points, and if his performances continue at this level, Stockport will be well-placed to achieve their ambitions.