 Kaine Kesler-Hayden in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kaine Kesler-Hayden[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (2002-10-23)23 October 2002 (age 23) | ||
| Place of birth | Solihull, England | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Coventry City | ||
| Number | 20 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2021 | Aston Villa | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2025 | Aston Villa | 3 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | →Swindon Town (loan) | 18 | (0) |
| 2022 | →Milton Keynes Dons (loan) | 15 | (1) |
| 2022–2023 | →Huddersfield Town (loan) | 14 | (1) |
| 2023–2024 | →Plymouth Argyle (loan) | 24 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | →Preston North End (loan) | 44 | (2) |
| 2025– | Coventry City | 18 | (1) |
| International career | |||
| 2021–2022 | England U20 | 5 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 21:53, 2 October 2025 (UTC) | |||
Kaine Kesler-Hayden (born 23 October 2002) is an English professionalfootballer who plays as afull-back orright wing-back forEFL Championship clubCoventry City.[3][4]
A product of theAston Villa Academy, he captained their under-18 side to victory in theFA Youth Cup in 2021. Kesler has represented England atunder-20 level.
Having progressed through the club's academy system, Kesler-Hayden was named in theAston Villa starting line-up for his senior debut on 8 January 2021 in anFA Cup third-round tie againstLiverpool, after "a large number of first-team players and staff" tested positive forCOVID-19, rendering Villa's first-team squad unavailable for the match.[5][6] Villa lost 4–1 but were praised for their performance.[7]
On 24 May 2021, Kesler-Hayden captained the Aston Villa U18 side which won theFA Youth Cup, beatingLiverpool U18 2–1 in the final.[8] Kesler-Hayden was later one of several academy players given five-year professional contracts by the club in July 2021.[9]
On 2 August 2021, Kesler-Hayden signed forSwindon Town on a season-long loan,[10] and made his professional league debut five days later, in a 3–1 away victory overScunthorpe United, in which he won a penalty that led to Swindon's equaliser.[11] He received his first red card as a professional in his second appearance for Swindon, picking up a second yellow card in a 2–1 defeat toCarlisle United.[12]
On 4 December 2021, Kesler-Hayden scored his first professional goal in a 2–1FA Cup victory overWalsall.[13] Kesler-Hayden featured in Swindon's third round FA Cup tie againstManchester City on 7 January 2022. Swindon were beaten 4–1, yet Kesler Hayden received widespread praise for his strong performance against the Premier League side.[14] Two days later, on 9 January, Kesler-Hayden was recalled from his loan by Aston Villa.[15] For his contribution on loan, Kesler-Hayden was later named Swindon Town's Young Player of the Season at the club's end of season awards ceremony.[16]
On 31 January 2022, Kesler-Hayden joinedLeague One promotion contendersMilton Keynes Dons on loan for the remainder of the2021–22 season.[17] He made his League One debut on 8 February 2022, in a 1–1 draw againstFleetwood Town.[18] On 22 February 2022, Kesler-Hayden scored his first goal for MK Dons, also his first professional league goal, in a 2–0 away win overCharlton Athletic.[19] He went on to make 17 appearances for the Dons, helping them to a third-placed play-off finish.[20]
On 12 August 2022, Kesler-Hayden joinedChampionship clubHuddersfield Town on a season-long loan.[21] On 15 January 2023, Aston Villa recalled Kesler-Hayden from his loan. He had made 15 appearances with one goal and one assist during his loan.[22] Huddersfield Head of Football OperationsLeigh Bromby explained that the decision was made mutually between both teams with the player's best interests in mind, after Huddersfield made the signing ofMatthew Lowton and Kesler-Hayden's place in the first-team was no longer guaranteed – the decision also allowing Huddersfield to use one of their loan allocations to strengthen another part of the team.[23]
On 29 June 2023, Kesler-Hayden signed forEFL Championship clubPlymouth Argyle on a season-long loan deal.[24] In January 2024, Aston Villa exercised a recall option in his loan contract, returning to his parent side having made twenty-seven appearances.[25]
On 30 March 2024, Kesler-Hayden made his Premier League debut, as a late substitute in a 2–0 home victory overWolverhampton Wanderers.[26] On 3 July 2024, Kesler-Hayden signed a contract extension with Villa.[27]
On 7 August 2024, Kesler-Hayden joined Championship clubPreston North End on a season-long loan.[28]He was named Preston North End Fans Player of the Year, Players Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year.[29]
On 1 July 2025, Kesler-Hayden signed for Championship clubCoventry City for an undisclosed fee,[30] reported to be £3.5 million.[31]
Kesler-Hayden was called up to a training camp for theEngland U19 national team in November 2020.[32] On 6 September 2021, he made his debut for theEngland U20s during a 6–1 victory overRomania U20s atSt. George's Park.[33]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Aston Villa U21 | 2020–21[34] | — | — | — | 1[a] | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Aston Villa | 2020–21[34] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 2021–22[35] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23[36] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24[37] | Premier League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2024–25[38] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| Swindon Town (loan) | 2021–22[35] | League Two | 18 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 1 |
| Milton Keynes Dons (loan) | 2021–22[35] | League One | 15 | 1 | — | — | 2[c] | 0 | 17 | 1 | ||
| Huddersfield Town (loan) | 2022–23[36] | Championship | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 15 | 1 | |
| Plymouth Argyle (loan) | 2023–24[37] | Championship | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 27 | 0 | |
| Preston North End (loan) | 2024–25[38] | Championship | 44 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 2 |
| Coventry City | 2025–26[39] | Championship | 18 | 1 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 20 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 136 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 157 | 6 | ||
Aston Villa U18
Individual
