I thought I'd post this to add a bit of information about the 'real' Joe Hayes and his City career.
I wrote this for my official history of City: "Manchester The Greatest City" (published in 1997 and updated in 2002; 496 pages, ISBN 978-1899538224). I made him one of only 40 'Maine Citizens' in the book (which was basically the full history of City, with profiles of the leading figures from each period).
MAINE CITIZENS NUMBER 13 - JOE HAYES
Joe Hayes City career started while he was working at a cotton mill in August 1953. The story goes that he arrived for a trial carrying his boots in a brown paper parcel under his arm, scored four early goals, and at the end of the match he said in a broad Boltonian accent: "Ta very much for t'game. Can I 'ave me bus fare back 'ome, please?"
Before the end of the month Blues manager Les McDowall not only paid his bus fare home, but he also signed up the young player. Less than two months later - on 24th October 1953 - he made his debut in City's 3-0 defeat at Tottenham at the age of 17. Not the greatest start, but Hayes had done enough to retain his place for the following match - a 3-2 Maine Road defeat of Burnley.
By the end of that first season, the teenager had made 11 appearances, although he was then left out of the side for the opening months of the 1954-5 season. By the time of the 1955 final, however, he had not only made 20 League appearances, but had performed well enough to convince McDowall to give him his chance at Wembley. It wasn't really a gamble as Hayes had played in every round and had even scored in round 3 at Derby and round 4 against Manchester United (his first derby match). In fact Hayes seemed to enjoy scoring against the Reds. In 17 League and Cup derbies He scored a total of 10 goals making him joint highest derby goalscorer with Francis Lee. Even then, the 5ft 8in forward deserves further acclaim as he also scored in the abandoned derby of 1960.
Hayes first Wembley appearance ended in disappointment, but twelve months later it was the Kearsley born player who set the '56 final alight by scoring within three minutes of the start. It was a crucial goal and one which set City up for an exciting 3-1 victory. That season he was also the club's leading League scorer with 23 goals from 42 appearances.
The 1957-8 season was another which saw Hayes making a name for himself as he netted 25 times in the League from only 40 appearances, to help the Blues achieve 5th place. Around the same time he also appeared for the England under 23 side and for an FA XI.
Sadly, the years that followed were not particularly successful for the Blues as many of the great players from the mid-fifties moved on, however Hayes stayed at the club and continued to perform well, despite City's frustrating suicide tactics of the late fifties/early sixties. During 1961-2 he netted 16 goals in 39 games to maintain his fine strike rate but the following season he started to drift in and out of the side, only managing 21 appearances.
The 1963-4 season was even more disappointing with a serious knee injury at Bury on 28th September, moreorless ending his City career. During 1964-5 he bravely made two further appearances (at Huddersfield on 27th February, and at home to Crystal Palace on 19th April), but he was never quite the same player again and was transferred to Barnsley during the close season. He was only 29. Had the injury not occurred it's possible he may have played a part in City's rehabilitation under Mercer and Allison.
After 25 appearances with Barnsley he moved on to Wigan and then became Lancaster City's player-manager.
In total Hayes made 363 first team appearances and scored 152 League and Cup goals. He is third behind Eric Brook and Tommy Johnson in the table of overall highest goalscorers and fourth in the list of League goalscorers. Considering the period he played in, and the fact that he appeared in over 130 games less than Eric Brook, for Hayes to be so high up both these lists is a remarkable achievement.
Hayes is not usually one of the first names remembered when supporters talk about great players, but his achievements certainly rank with the best. He was a shade unfortunate that after the promise of his first couple of seasons, City appeared to stop developing as a team and never really allowed him to build on his F.A. Cup Winner's medal. Nevertheless his career deserves to be remembered for the excitement and success he helped to bring during the great mid-fifties. Joe Hayes was one of City's leading players throughout that period and beyond. He died in 1999.
HAYES' PLAYING RECORD
Season LEAGUE FA CUP FL CUP TOTAL
App Gls App Gls App Gls App Gls
1953-54 11 0 0 0 - - 11 0
1954-55 20 13 6 2 - - 26 15
1955-56 42 23 7 4 - - 49 27
1956-57 34 14 0 0 - - 34 14
1957-58 40 25 1 1 - - 41 26
1958-59 40 16 2 1 - - 42 17
1959-60 41 13 1 0 - - 42 13
1960-61 38 18 4 1 2 1 44 20
1961-62 39 16 2 0 1 0 42 16
1962-63 21 4 1 0 4 0 26 4
1963-64 3 0 0 0 1 0 4 0
1964-65 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
TOTAL 331 142 24 9 8 1 363 152
