Hayles has played for the likes of Millwall, Leicester City and Bristol Rovers, but it's at Fulham where he has the status of club legend.

He scored 44 League goals for the Cottagers, making over 200 appearances with 75 of them being in the Premier League.

He was part of what is arguably Fulham's most successful squad under Jean Tigana, where they ran away with the Championship (then Division 1), title with 101 points and got promoted to the Premier League.

With ten international caps for Jamaica and playing in over 800 games throughout his footballing career, against the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham - Hayles certainly knows exactly what it takes to become a success.

Wilson told https://www.mersthamfc.com: "From a personal point of view, bringing Barry in as a key part of the backroom staff is something I am really looking forward to.

“I first met Barry when I was training at the Jamie Lawrence Academy and Barry was a senior pro, training with the group every Summer as part of Jamie Lawrence's pre-season training camp. I think I was 18 when I first met and trained with Barry and I continued training every summer for the best part of a decade. I looked up to Barry and had the utmost respect for him as a professional footballer, and I admired his attitude to training and the way he interacted with me and the other lads who were part of those training camps. It was such a rewarding experience as a non-professional to be training with the likes of Barry and other professional players who before they went back to their Premier League and other professional clubs, would be training with you every day and socialising etc. It is hands down the best football experience I have ever had as a player and Barry was a big contributor to that and so to now be working with him in Management is fantastic and significant.

​“Barry is a serious competitor and my recollection of his attitude to training and how he was as a professional - the man is a winner by nature. He was a key part of Fulham's most successful squad that was promoted from the Championship to the Premier League - a team that I grew up supporting and players like Barry epitomised hard work and a desire to win.

“I know that Barry will be able to relate to our players from his involvement in non-League football prior to joining us and he will be able to share his past experiences and teach the players what it means to have a professional approach to our level of football and he will no doubt play a significant role working closely with our forwards.

“We went back to training this week and Barry met everyone when we took the session, and it was really enjoyable. Barry is very down to earth and approachable, and everyone connected to the club will be able to meet and speak to Barry over the coming weeks, and as we work through pre-season".

Merstham FC