The forward arrived at the Walkers Stadium charged with helping the club avoid relegation from the Championship in 2008, but it wasn't to be.
Signed by Ian Holloway, the man who managed him at Bristol Rovers and Plymouth Argyle, Hayles was at veteran stage when he arrived at the club and didn't have the desired impact of firing the Foxes to safety.
Starting out at Stevenage Borough, it was at Fulham where Hayles excelled, and he couldn't find that same form at Sheffield United, Millwall and Plymouth.
The striker did stay at City after they suffered relegation but his appearances were extremely limited, and boss Nigel Pearson allowed him out on-loan to Cheltenham Town twice before he completed a permanent move there.