Paul Edward Hayes (born 20 September 1983) is an English former professional footballer who is currently manager of Dunmow Town.
As a player he was a forward who made more than 500 appearances for 11 clubs in all three divisions of the English Football League most notably for Scunthorpe United, Barnsley and Wycombe Wanderers. He also played professionally for Norwich City, Huddersfield Town, Charlton Athletic, Preston North End, Brentford, Crawley Town, Plymouth Argyle and Newport County. He played his latter career in non-League football for Hemel Hempstead Town, AFC Sudbury, Romford, Meridian VP, Faversham Town, Chatham Town and Haverhill Rovers.
Hayes has held sporting director roles at non-League clubs Chatham Town and Bowers & Pitsea. He was appointed manager of Dunmow Town in 2023.
Playing career
Norwich City
Hayes started his footballing career as a schoolboy with Norwich City, whom he joined as a 13-year-old. Hayes' first involvement with the first team came in pre-season prior to Norwich's 2001–02 First Division campaign, in which he scored in friendlies against Wroxham, Colchester United and Premier League club Arsenal. He was an unused substitute during the final two matches of the regular season. He failed to feature during Norwich's unsuccessful playoff campaign.
Hayes failed to feature at all during the early months of the 2002–03 season and became frustrated at his lack of first team opportunities, with forwards Iwan Roberts, Paul McVeigh, David Nielsen, Alex Notman, Zema Abbey and Ian Henderson ahead of him in the pecking order. He spent periods on trial at Third Division clubs Torquay United and Scunthorpe United and had his Norwich academy contract cancelled on 3 December 2002.
Scunthorpe United
Hayes signed a youth contract with Third Division club Scunthorpe United in December 2002. He scored his first goal for the club on his second appearance, with Scunthorpe's fourth goal in a 4–1 win over Southend United on 25 January 2003. On 19 March 2003, Hayes signed a professional contract with Scunthorpe. He scored eight goals in 20 games during the 2002–03 season, though the campaign ended with a heartbreaking playoff semi-final defeat to Lincoln City. Hayes became a regular starter the following season, making 45 appearances and scoring seven goals as Scunthorpe narrowly avoided relegation to the Conference.
Hayes scored 19 goals during the 2004–05 season to help Scunthorpe gain automatic promotion to League One. Hayes was in red hot form during October and November 2004, scoring 10 goals in as many games. A highlight of his season was scoring the opener against Premier League club Chelsea in an FA Cup Third Round at Stamford Bridge on 8 January 2005, though Chelsea eventually ran out 3–1 winners. Hayes departed Glanford Park on 2 June 2005, having scored 34 goals in 116 appearances for the club.
Barnsley
Hayes joined League One club Barnsley on 2 June 2005 and made 56 appearances and scored 13 goals during the 2005–06 season. He scored the opener in the 2006 League One play-off final against Swansea City and a 2–2 scoreline at the end of extra time saw the game go to penalties, with Hayes converting his spot kick to help Barnsley to a 4–3 shootout win and promotion to the Championship.
Hayes made 33 appearances for Barnsley during the 2006–07 season and scored five goals, which included a spell of four goals in six games early in the season. After falling behind Hungarian forward duo István Ferenczi and Péter Rajczi during the second half of the season, Hayes joined League One club Huddersfield Town on a one-month loan on 23 February 2007. On 10 March, he scored his only goal for the club in a 2–0 home victory over local neighbours Bradford City. Having joined with a view to a permanent move, he failed to win a contract or a loan extension and returned to Barnsley on 18 March, after scoring one goal in four appearances for Huddersfield Town. Hayes departed Oakwell on 13 June 2007 and made 89 appearances and scored 18 goals during two seasons with the club.
Return to Scunthorpe United
Hayes returned to Scunthorpe United (now playing in the Championship) on a three-year contract on 13 June 2007, for a fee which was later settled by tribunal. He made 42 appearances during the 2007–08 season, but a run of five goals in the last three games of the season couldn't save the Iron from relegation to League One. Hayes found his form again during the 2008–09 season, making 57 appearances and scoring 19 goals and helped the Iron to the Football League Trophy Final and to promotion to the Championship via the playoffs.