He joined Port Vale in May 1946, having recently turned 16. He made his debut on 12 October of that year, in a 4–0 home defeat by Cardiff City, and finished the 1946–47 season with two Third Division South appearances to his name. He attained a regular first team spot from December 1947, and played 24 games in 1947–48 and 42 games in 1948–49. He fell out of favour in August 1949, though scored his first senior goal at The Old Recreation Ground on 25 February 1950, in a 2–2 draw with Norwich City, in what was his only appearance of the 1949–50 campaign. In the 1950–51 season he featured 26 times. In the summer, manager Gordon Hodgson died and was replaced by Ivor Powell, who was sacked and replaced by Freddie Steele. Hayward played 28 games in 1951–52, though was sidelined with a back injury in February 1952.