Getting to know the Blue Square Premier : Hayes and Yeading

Hayes and Yeading are the youngest side in the Blue Square Premier division and despite only existing for four years, we have already shared more players with the southerners than we have with some other clubs. They are also currently looking for a new manager.

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Hayes and Yeading may have only existed for four years but they have had an interesting existence so far. When the two clubs merged in 2007, they started life as one club in the Conference South and although they ended up finishing midtable in their first season, a Playoff campaign followed in 2008/9 and it turned out to be one of the most extraordinary comebacks in history.

They faced Eastleigh in the semi-finals and were 4-0 down at one point before eventually winning 6-4 on aggregate, one of the truly great comebacks ever produced at any level. They beat Hampton and Richmond in the final to qualify for the Blue Square Premier. A respectable 17th place finish in their first year was deemed as an excellent achievement, although they would have been slightly disappointed as a bad run towards the end denied them a possible top half finish.

They had a mixed end to last season, winning 7 out of 9 before losing their final two games, failing to score. Goals flew in at both ends during the season, with scorelines such as 5-2 (twice - one win, one defeat), 5-0 (defeat), 3-0 (two defeats), 4-3 (defeat), 3-3 and only twice did they draw 0-0. They eventually finished 16th and the manager soon quit.

Whilst their new stadium is being built, Hayes and Yeading will be playing their football at Woking FC, with them expected to move into their new stadium just after the new year. There will be no segregation at the ground, meaning you can sit/stand whereever you want.

Lincoln and Hayes have shared four players with current H&Y players Jamie Hand and Peter Holmes being former Imps, as were Omari Coleman and Adrian Patulea, who have both been at City in the past. The clubs have never met.