Vince Hayes

Vince Hayes was a versatile player capable of playing in defence or as an inside-forward. He made his début for Newton Heath at centre-half against Walsall in 1901. After playing just two games in the 1902/03 campaign, the first season under the club’s new name of Manchester United, Hayes then regained his place until moving to Brentford in 1905, and thus missed out on United’s promotion to the first division in 1905/06. After three seasons in London, he returned to United in 1908 and played in their FA Cup Final win that season when they beat Bristol City 1-0. Unfortunately Hayes played just one game when United won the first division title again in 1910/11.

After Manchester United, Hayes had two seasons at Bradford Park Avenue before turning to coaching and, after a four-game spell as coach to the Denmark national team, he joined First Vienna FC and then another Austrian club, Wiener Sport-Club, before returning to England and becoming player/coach at Rochdale until 1919, when he joined Preston before his final appointment at Atlético Madrid for one season 1923/24.

Although he was never capped at international level, Hayes made one representative appearance, for the Football League against the Scottish League in 1910. All Hayes had to show for his career of more than 20 years as a player and coach was that one FA Cup win with Manchester United in 1909. After leaving Madrid, Hayes returned to England to become a pub landlord in the Manchester area.