Alan Jackett joined Hayes in October 1971, shortly after the club made its debut in the Isthmian League. The son of a former professional, he had previously been on Luton’s books, and joined Wealdstone – still an amateur club – in 1970. When the Stones turned professional, Jackett moved to Wembley and shortly after came to Hayes. He was prone to injury and made only 16+4 appearances for Hayes, scoring four goals, before moving to St Albans at the end of the season and then Hitchin Town, shortly afterwards. Next he played for Chesham United and then Boreham Wood. In December 1984, he joined Harefield Unted as assistant to Nobby Carpenter and took over from him in June 1985. But he resigned a year later, owing to a persistent leg injury, which had necessitated three operations.

The 1970s and 1980s saw several players with the surname of James, two of them related. The first was Egbert “Eggy” James, a centre-forward, who scored on his debut against Wembley in April 1973. He had previously played for Hampton and subsequently went on to play for Hendon, Staines Town (where he still holds legend status), Woking and Slough Town, often scoring against Hayes. In the summer of 1982 he trained with Hayes pre-season, but unexpectedly signed for Carshalton Athletic. During his Hayes career, he made 17+3 appearances and scored four goals.

Keith and Tommy James were brothers. Tommy James was the first to play for Hayes. A midfielder, who impressed with his ability to win the ball and distribute it accurately, he had been brought up in Hayes, attending Townfield School, from where he joined Chelsea as an apprentice and then made the short move to Fulham. Failing to make the professional grade, he joined Maidenhead United and came to his home-town club in 1973 at the age of 20. He played a large part in Hayes’ successful run in the London Challenge Cup, especially in the semi-final victory over QPR. He left in August 1975 and joined Wycombe Wanderers, where he played only 2+3 games, including an Anglo-Italian Cup match at Monza, before going on to Southall & Ealing Borough, Slough Town, Walton & Hersham and Wealdstone. He rejoined Hayes in February 1980 and stayed until he was released in July 1981. During his two spells with Hayes he made 105+10 appearances and scored nine goals.

Curiously, Tommy’s brother Keith James joined Hayes immediately after his brother left for the second time, in August 1981. Keith was a right-back and also had two separate spells at Hayes. An England youth international, he joined from Walthamstow Avenue, having previously been on Portsmouth’s books. Manager Roy Ruffell suspected him of playing in Sunday football, which he was contractually forbidden to do, and released him in February 1982. He immediately joined Woking, and then went to Northwood, Southall, Maidenhead and back to Woking again. He resigned from Woking in August 1983 and rejoined Hayes, now under the management of George Goode and stayed for the whole of the 1983-4 season. All told, he made 64+23 appearances for Hayes and scored seven goals. After Hayes his career blossomed and he played in two FA Vase finals, gaining a loser’s and winner’s medal: for Southall at Wembley in 1986 and for Yeading at Leeds in 1990. In between those two clubs he had a spell with Northwood.

Although he played in between the two James brothers, Martin James was not related to them. An accountant, who worked in Uxbridge and lived at Slough, he was a commanding 6ft 4in centre-half, and joined from Walton & Hersham in November 1974, having previously played for Reading and Maidenhead United. Over three seasons he made 86+4 appearances and scored 10 goals. He went on loan to Burnham in October 1976 and left in May 1977.

Moving on, it is hard to see why Keith Jameson ever joined Hayes. A solicitor with an oil company, he had skippered Skelmersdale United while at college and was a member of the Amateur Cup-winning Hendon side in 1972, when he came to Hayes during the summer. Manager Bob Gibbs chased him in his car to St Albans, where he won his signature. But Jameson was more interested in success than he was ever likely to achieve at Church Road – he was selected for FA XIs and toured Japan with the Middlesex Wanderers, together with Bobby Hatt; he was also chosen for The Rest against Wycombe Wanderers in October 1972 and promptly joined that club. During his two months with Hayes he made 16 Appearances and scored two goals.

Hayes’ first black goalkeeper, Allan Jarrett, first played for the club in .pre-season friendlies in 1976. He had previously played for Brentford juniors, Reading, Wembley, Ruislip Manor and Southall. Failing to secure a place in competition with Alan Cox, he went to Yeading, then in the Middlesex League. When Cox announced his retirement through injury, Jarrett joined Hayes as first choice and played through the 1978-9 season and half-way through the next. During this time he was selected for an FA XI against British Police. He moved to St Albans in February 1980, having made 86 appearances, and later played for Walthamstow Avenue.

In more recent times, Jamie Jarvis was a popular centre-half, who joined from Maidenhead United at the start of the 2002-3 season, having previously played for Burnham and Windsor & Eton. He played the tough guy role in front of Paul Holsgrove’s sweeper. In his 37 appearances for Hayes, he scored three goals but, more significantly, picked up 16 bookings and one dismissal. He was sold to Grays Athletic in February 2003, but was unwilling to turn full-time professional and joined Hampton & Richmond in the summer. It seemed likely, at one stage, that he would rejoin Hayes in 2004, but it did not come to pass.

Robbie Johnson was another former Brentford junior, who made one appearance in the first team. A left back, he had started with Arsenal and joined Hayes in 1982. He went to Harrow Borough, in exchange for Ron Nelson in summer 1984, and later played for Enfield, Slough and Yeading. At Hayes he made 101 appearances over two seasons and scored one goal.

Finally, Richard Jolly came to Hayes from Wycombe youth and Ruislip Manor. A prolific scorer in the reserves, he hustled and bustled during Hayes’ last days in the Conference and at the start of their Isthmian return, but had little success in front of goal. In a total of 5+17 games, he managed just one goal. After a loan spell at Uxbridge, where he regularly found the net, he joined Wealdstone permanently and promptly became their leading scorer before moving on again.