Barrington Edward Hayles (born 17 May 1972) is a football coach and former player who played as a striker.
Hayles began his career in non-League football with Willesden Hawkeye, before playing for Stevenage Borough, Bristol Rovers, Fulham, Sheffield United, Millwall, Plymouth Argyle, Leicester City, Cheltenham Town, St Albans City, Arlesey Town, Chesham United, Merstham and Windsor, as well as three separate spells at Truro City. In a career that spanned 34 years, Hayles finally called time on his playing days in 2023, aged 51.
Born in England, he was capped ten times by Jamaica at international level.
Club career
Early career
Hayles was born in
Lambeth,
South London. After beginning his career with Willesden Hawkeye in the early 1990s, he joined
Isthmian League Premier Division side Stevenage Borough in February 1994, and impressed with the club in his first two seasons there.
He was part of the team which won the Football Conference in the 1995–96 season, however when the club were denied promotion to the Football League he became interested in a move away from Broadhall Way. In 1997, after continuing to impress with Stevenage Borough, he earned a move to Football League club Bristol Rovers.
Bristol Rovers
Hayles impressed immediately, scoring on his debut against Plymouth Argyle with a first half header, and went on to top the Second Division scoring chart in his first season with 23 league goals as Rovers narrowly lost 4–3 on aggregate to Northampton Town in the playoffs. After beginning the 1998–99 season brightly, Hayles earned a £2 million move to Fulham.
Fulham
Hayles made over 200 appearances during his spell at Fulham, scoring 44 league goals and helping them to two promotions. He was integral to the team that got promoted to the
Premier League for the first time in their history in 2001. Highlights during his time in the Premier League included scoring an equaliser against rivals Chelsea,
a brace in a 2–0 win over Everton
and another brace as Fulham memorably beat Tottenham Hotspur 3–0 at White Hart Lane.
During his time at Fulham, he was also called up for international duty for Jamaica.
Sheffield United
Hayles was released on a free transfer joining Sheffield United. His spell with the
Blades was not a success and he moved to Millwall for a nominal fee two months later.
Millwall
Hayles signed for Millwall aged 32, making over 50 league appearances and scoring 16 goals during his two-year spell at the club. In the 2004–05 season, he notably scored in the local derby against West Ham United and a hat trick away at Derby County helping Millwall to finish 10th.
Plymouth Argyle
Hayles was signed by Plymouth Argyle by new manager
Ian Holloway for a fee of £100,000 prior to the 2006–07 season, where he quickly established himself as a supporters' favourite after a hugely impressive start which earned him the nickname "The Ox in the box". He made his Argyle debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he also scored his first goal for his new club. He has a record of never being on a losing side when scoring for Argyle (14 goals, 7 wins and 7 draws) up to 28 April 2007. In the 2007–08 season, Hayles planned to leave Plymouth at the end of the season.
Leicester City
On 31 December 2007, Hayles joined Leicester City on an emergency loan, which became permanent for a fee of £150,000 on 2 January,
signing an 18-month contract.
He made his debut in a 3–1 away defeat to Queens Park Rangers on 1 January,
and scored his first goal in a 2–0 win over Coventry City on 12 January,
Hayles scored his second and last goal for the club in a 1–0 win over Crystal Palace on 28 January.
Leicester was relegated from the
EFL Championship at the end of the season.
Following his loan spells with Cheltenham Town, Hayles had a brief run in the Leicester first team upon his return, but failed to score a single goal. He nonetheless earned a medal on 24 April after the club finished the season as League One champions. Hayles was released at the end of his contract on 29 May.
Cheltenham Town
On 12 August 2008, Hayles joined Cheltenham Town on loan for a month,
which was extended for a further month on 11 September.
He re-joined Cheltenham on loan for another month on 27 November.
On 13 July 2009, Hayles joined Cheltenham full-time. After making more than 50 league appearances for the Robins, he was released along with seven other players in May 2010.
Truro City
Hayles signed with Southern League Premier Division club Truro City on 18 September 2010.
[ "City sign up former Premiership striker" . Cornish Guardian. 18 September 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2010.][ "Hayles pens deal with Truro City" . BBC Sport. 21 September 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2010.] He made his debut three days later against Bideford in the Southern League Cup.
[ "Hayles makes Truro City debut in cup defeat". Cornish Guardian. 22 September 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2010.] He scored his first goal for the club on 9 October 2010 in a 6–0 win against Halesowen Town as City went joint top of the Premier Division table.
[ "City go joint top of the table". Cornish Guardian. 9 October 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2010.] Having scored two goals in his first month at Treyew Road,
[ "Truro go top of Southern League Premier Division". BBC Sport. 13 October 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2010.] Hayles extended his stay for another month.
[ "Fight for your place – Hodges". Cornish Guardian. 21 October 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2010.] "Barry has settled in fantastically well and has been a great boost for the squad and the club," said Lee Hodges, the manager of Truro City and a teammate of the striker during his time at Plymouth Argyle. "I am absolutely delighted that he is staying" Hodges added.
[ "Hayles extends stay at Truro City" . BBC Sport. 19 October 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2010.] Hayles scored a hat-trick in the top of the table clash between Salisbury City and Truro City on 22 February 2011 in a result that Truro City won 6–0, Salisbury's first home defeat of the 2010–11 Southern League Premier Division season.
St Albans City
Hayles agreed to join Southern League Premier Division side St Albans City
[ "Barry Hayles Joins St Albans City " . Non League Bets. 14 August 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2012.] at the start of the 2012–13 season, after leaving Truro City due to the club's financial problems.
Return to Truro City
On 14 December 2012, Hayles returned to Truro City on a non-contract basis, the same day that the club was sold to new owners.
Arlesey Town
On 24 July 2013, Hayles signed for Arlesey Town after he had scored twice in the first half of their 6–0 friendly win over Langford the previous evening.
Second return to Truro City
In August 2014, Hayles re-signed for Truro City and opened his scoring in his second game of the season, scoring both goals in the 2–1 win at Paulton Rovers.
That season he helped them reach the Conference South via the play-offs and was again released at the age of 43.
Chesham United
On 26 June 2015, Chesham United announced they had signed Hayles as a player-coach. Chesham United manager Andy Lees stated, "He has a lot to offer on the pitch still and now off it as well as he looks to start a coaching career".
In Chesham United's 1–0 win at Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup on 8 November 2015, Hayles came on as a substitute, receiving an ovation from both sets of supporters.
Windsor
Hayles joined Hellenic League Premier Division side Windsor for a similar role in July 2017.
Merstham
After two years with Windsor, Hayles joined Merstham as assistant manager ahead of the 2019–20 season.
He was also registered as a player, and made his debut for the club as a second-half substitute in a 4–0 win at Wingate & Finchley.
Following Merstham's relegation from the Isthmian League Premier Division in 2022, Hayles, along with manager Frank Wilson, departed the club.
Return to Windsor
In July 2022, Hayles returned to Windsor as a member of new manager Mick Woodham's backroom staff, the club refusing to rule out the possibility of him playing for the club again.
[ ] He made his second debut for the club on 16 August, playing 81 minutes in a 3–2 defeat at Harefield United.
After failing to find another club, Hayles retired from playing in 2023 at the age of 51.
International career
Whilst at Stevenage Borough, Hayles played twice for the England non-League team. The first game was in May 1995 at Clarence Park, against the Scottish Highland Football League who beat the England non-League team 3–2. The second game was in May 1997 at
Balmoral Stadium (three miles south of Aberdeen), again against the Scottish Highland Football League. This time, the England non-League team won 5–0, with Hayles scoring two goals, and
Lee Hughes, then of Kidderminster Harriers, scoring another two goals.
Hayles was called up to the Cayman Islands squad in 2000 for a pair of FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Cuba. He took part in an unofficial 5–0 friendly defeat to American club side D.C. United, but he never played for them in a full international after FIFA ruled that he did not meet eligibility requirements.
Hayles played at least ten times for Jamaica, making his debut against Cuba on 10 June 2001. Although he never announced his retirement from international football, the national team did not call him up after 2005.
Career statistics
| + Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |
|
|
| Willesden Hawkeye | 1988–89 | | ? | ? | ? | ? | 10 | 3 |
| 1989–90 | Middlesex County League Division 1 | ? | ? | ? | ? | 22 | 8 |
| 1990–91 | Middlesex County League Division 1 | ? | ? | ? | ? | 19 | 10 |
| 1991–92 | Spartan League Division 1 | ? | ? | ? | ? | 29 | 16 |
| 1992–93 | Spartan League Premier League | ? | ? | ? | ? | 27 | 11 |
| 1993–94 | Spartan League Premier League | ? | ? | ? | ? | 34 | 21 |
|
| Stevenage Borough | 1993–94 | Isthmian League Premier Division | 14 | 1 | — | — | 3 | 1 | 17 | 2 |
1994–95 | Football Conference | 35 | 13 | 2 | 1 | — | 8 | 1 | 45 | 15 |
1995–96 | Football Conference | 38 | 29 | 6 | 0 | — | 5 | 5 | 49 | 34 |
1996–97 | Football Conference | 30 | 17 | 5 | 3 | — | 8 | 5 | 43 | 25 |
|
| Bristol Rovers | 1997–98 | Second Division | 1 | 57 | 26 |
1998–99 | Second Division | — | 19 | 10 |
|
| Fulham | 1998–99 | Second Division | 0 | 34 | 9 |
1999–2000 | First Division | — | 43 | 9 |
2000–01 | First Division | — | 39 | 19 |
2001–02 | Premier League | — | 43 | 12 |
2002–03 | Premier League | 2 | 24 | 3 |
2003–04 | Premier League | — | 32 | 5 |
|
| Sheffield United | 2004–05 | EFL Championship | — | 5 | 0 |
| Millwall | 2004–05 | Championship | 0 | 33 | 12 |
2005–06 | Championship | — | 27 | 5 |
|
| Plymouth Argyle | 2006–07 | Championship | — | 42 | 14 |
2007–08 | Championship | — | 24 | 2 |
|
| Leicester City | 2007–08 | Championship | — | 19 | 2 |
2008–09 | League One | 0 | 11 | 0 |
|
| Cheltenham Town (loan) | 2008–09 | League One | 0 | 13 | 4 |
| Cheltenham Town | 2009–10 | League Two | 0 | 42 | 7 |
| Truro City | 2010–11 | Southern League Premier Division | 0 | 46 | 20 |
2011–12 | Conference South | 0 | 30 | 7 |
|
| St. Albans City | 2012–13 | Southern League Premier Division | 0 | 21 | 8 |
| Truro City | 2012–13 | Conference South | — | 23 | 6 |
| Arlesey Town | 2013–14 | Southern League Premier Division | 4 | 38 | 15 |
| Truro City | 2014–15 | Southern League Premier Division | 3 | 41 | 9 |
| Chesham United | 2015–16 | Southern League Premier Division | 3 | 43 | 8 |
2016–17 | Southern League Premier Division | 0 | 30 | 7 |
|
| Windsor | 2017–18 | Hellenic League Premier Division | 3 | 45 | 14 |
2018–19 | Hellenic League Premier Division | 1 | 15 | 3 |
|
| Merstham | 2019–20 | Isthmian League Premier Division | 1 | 11 | 2 |
2020–21 | Isthmian League Premier Division | 0 | 4 | 0 |
2021–22 | Isthmian League Premier Division | 0 | 5 | 0 |
|
| Windsor | 2022–23 | Combined Counties League Premier Division North | 1 |
|
Honours
Stevenage Borough
Fulham
-
Second Division: 1998–99
-
First Division: 2000–01
-
UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2002
Leicester City
Truro City
-
Southern League Premier Division: 2010–11
-
Southern League Premier Division Play-off: 2014–15
See also
-
List of men's footballers with the most official appearances
External links
