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Barnsley striker Paul Hayes has joined Town on loan for the rest of the season with a view of a permanent move.
Hayes (the player in the dark blue shirt), has been limited to a handful of apperances in the last few week for Barnsley with the arrival of two new strikers. Hayes has played 29 games for the South Yorkshire club this season scoring 5 goals.

Hayes is likely to go straight into the squad for tomorrow's game at the Galpharm against Crewe. Manager Peter Jackson had been looking to bolster his front line since the departure of Pawel Abbott to Swansea. With Andy Booth recently picking up a calf injury Paul could be lining up with Luke Beckett to spearhead Town's attack against Crewe.

The 23 year old Southend-born striker started his career at Norwich City as a trainee. Paul is the younger brother of ex-Arsenal and Celtic centre forward Martin Hayes, At Norwich he was described as a "natural goalscorer" as a youngster with a knack of being in the right place at the right time. A coach at Norwich said that Hayes has good movement and a good touch but questioned his work rate and bravery but has excellent techinal ability.

Paul was then sent for a week's trial at Torquay United, for reasons simular to Adnan Ahmed's trial with Lincoln City last month but Paul did not play a competative game for the Gulls.
In December 2002 Paul was released by Norwich City, He has been trialling with Scunthorpe United and the Canaries agreed to pass on Paul's contract to the Irons which became a free transfer but Norwich has a sell-on clause in the deal.

He scored on his debut for Scunthorpe coming off the bench and netting one against Southend, scored a wonder goal against Hull on his full debut and the notched two against Rochdale which lead to Scunthorpe offering him a longer contract.

At Christmas 2004 Paul was then League Two's top scorer and interesting some Championship clubs Brighton, Notts Forest, Derby and Sheffield United. Barnsley the then manager Andy Ritchie was also watching Hayes and in the end managed to persuade him to join the Tykes after Paul has stalled on a 3 year deal from the then promoted Scunthorpe.

He scored 27 goals in 38 league appearances for the Irons. Paul scored in the play-off semi final for Barnsley against Town in May 2006, scoring a penalty, and then went on to score in the play-off final against Swansea City.