Southend United have suffered a blow as Ipswich Town loanee Nick Hayes returns to Portman Road, as reported by the Echo News.
The 24-year-old joined Kevin Maher’s side on an emergency loan in October and has performed admirably. He kept three clean sheets in four National League matches, on his debut against Woking (2-0) and twice in three days against Solihull Moors (5-0) and Ebbsfleet (3-0). When he did ship a goal against Boreham Wood, he still earned himself the Man of the Match award.
It’s reported Southend were keen to keep Hayes at Roots Hall but were unable to do so because of a condition in their current transfer embargo. He was only allowed to sign following an injury to regular keeper David Martin, who has since returned to the side.
“Nick’s loan was up, but he did absolutely brilliantly for us,” said Maher. “We’ll keep an eye on that situation and where he’s at.”
Hayes played for both Norwich City and Ipswich as a youth, also representing England at Under 17 level. He drifted into non-league football with Hemel Hempstead Town and Woking and made a single appearance for Salford City in the EFL Trophy, conceding six against Manchester United U21s. In 2022, he moved back to Ipswich, impressing in a spell training with the club, earning a contract until the summer of 2024.
Southend have had a torrid time this season, with off-field problems overshadowing some brave performances in the National League. Their recent form has seen them climb to 16th, although they were beaten 2-0 by Altrincham yesterday, with Martin conceding twice.
Writer’s View
Hayes has had something of a nomadic career, but life is different for a keeper. Often a stopper can play understudy until his late 20s and still go on to play regular football at a higher level. Could that be the case for Hayes?
He certainly impressed during his brief spell at Roots Hall, and that may alert a League Two club in January. With his Ipswich contract up in the summer and him not being a part of their 25-man squad in the Championship, it appears he is eyeing his next move.
His spell at Roots Hall will certainly have helped put him on the radar of scouts, and even if nothing comes up, Southend will be keeping an eye on his situation. This was the perfect example of a mutually-beneficial loan spell.
Founder and Editor-in-Chief at The Real EFL, Gary is a passionate Lincoln City fan with extensive content creation across the Championship and EFL. He also shares expert football betting tips.
