Exiles debut until after 3 January 2018. Hayes finished the season with 14 appearances, three goals and was released when his contract expired. Return to non-League football On 9 August 2018, Hayes dropped back into non-League football to join Isthmian League North Division club AFC Sudbury on a two-year contract. He scored 12 goals in 34 appearances during the 2018–19 season and retired in June 2019. In mid-November 2019, Hayes returned to football as a player with Isthmian League North Division club Romford. After one appearance, he transferred to Southern Counties East League First Division club Meridian VP, with whom he remained until 7 January 2020, when he transferred to Isthmian League South East Division club Faversham Town. Hayes made 10 appearances before joining Southern Counties East League Premier Division club Chatham Town in a player-sporting director capacity March 2020. He made three appearances and scored one goal across the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons. Concurrent with his director of football role at Isthmian League Premier Division club Bowers & Pitsea, Hayes made three cup appearances during the first half of the 2022–23 season. On 6 January 2023, he joined Eastern Counties League Premier Division club Haverhill Rovers. Backroom career Hayes served Southern Counties East League Premier Division club Chatham Town as sporting director between 2020 and 2022. On 1 May 2022, Hayes was appointed director of football at Isthmian League Premier Division club Bowers & Pitsea. He departed the role in January 2023. Personal life Born in Dagenham, Essex, Hayes grew up in East London and went to Barclay Junior School in Leyton, where he captained the school football team from the age of seven. He later attended Norlington School for Boys and The Bromfords School in Wickford, Essex. His older brother, Martin, is a football manager and former player and his son Noah was a member of the Charlton Athletic Academy. After retiring from football, Hayes began a career as an agent and launched Aspiro Lifestyle Management. Career statistics Honours Scunthorpe United EFL League One play-offs: 2009 EFL League Two second-place promotion: 2004–05, 2013–14 Barnsley EFL League One play-offs: 2006 Charlton Athletic EFL League One: 2011–12 Individual Scunthorpe United Player of the Year: 2009–10 References External links 1982 births Living people Footballers from Dagenham English footballers Association football forwards Norwich City F.C. players Scunthorpe United F.C. players Barnsley F.C. players Huddersfield Town A.F.C. players Preston North End F.C. players