STAY TILL THE END? OR DON'T!!!

February 24th 1951 (me not yet born!)

On this day, Southend United hosted Swindon Town, in a Division 3 (South)  fixture. The away side, Swindon, took a 2-0 lead and must have been hoping for a win. At the end of 90 minutes those hopes had been shattered - they had lost 8-2!

On another "tack", after progressing through the youth system with the south coast club, AFC  Bournemouth, James Hayter made his official début for them in the 1996–97 season, in a 3–1 Division Two defeat to Peterborough United. Despite a promising start, he failed to gain a first-team place and moved to Salisbury City on loan.

His performances for Salisbury eventually earned him a recall to Bournemouth, by club manager Mel Machin and Hayter scored the fourth goal in a 4–0 demolition of Stoke City, on his return. In October 2000, he equalled the club record for the number of goals scored in a match when he scored 4 against Bury. Hayter was soon established as one of the most consistent and sought-after strikers outside the Premier League, and the proudest moment of his Bournemouth career came in May 2003 when he helped them achieve victory over Lincoln City in the Division Three playoff final.

On Tuesday, 24 February 2004, he came on as an 84th-minute substitute while Bournemouth were 3–0 up at home, Dean Court, to Wrexham, in Div 2. Hayter scored the fastest Football League hat-trick ever in 2 minutes and 21.88seconds, beating the record set by *Jimmy Scarth of Gillingham in 1952. His parents and brother were at the match but left 10 minutes before the final whistle, with no sign that James would make an appearance. They left early to catch a ferry back to their home in the Isle of Wight and so missed the history-making achievement.

James Edward Hayter (born 9 April 1979), last played for Weymouth FC. He holds the record for the fastest Football League hat trick ever and 

has been on the winning side in three Football League play offs finals. 

BY THE WAY, the perfect/golden/classic hat-trick is where a player scores with his left foot, right foot and his head. The German's have their own definition of a hat-trick, as they would, it being where a player scores three consecutive goals, no other goals being scored between the three goals of the hat-trick. Bit complicated?

* Jimmy Scarth of Gillingham netted three goals in 2 mins in a Division Three South match v Leyton Orient in November 1952, BUT many question the "timing" accuracy of this event.

JAMES HAYTER-senior career

Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1997–2007	AFC Bournemouth	358	(94)
1998–1999	→ Salisbury City (loan)	8	(4)
2007–2012	Doncaster Rovers	162	(39)
2012–2015	Yeovil Town	119	(25)
2015–2018	Havant & Waterlooville	84	(13)
2017	→ Weymouth (loan)	3	(0)
Total		734	(175)