Ollie buoyed by double swoop

12 April 2012

Leicester manager Ian Holloway has boosted the Coca-Cola Championship club's firepower by signing strikers Steve Howard and Barry Hayles on Monday.

Howard joined late in the day from Derby, agreeing a three-and-a-half year deal, but both he and Hayles, who will sign an 18-month contract, initially moved on emergency loans in order to be available for the New Year's Day clash against QPR.

"Steve and Barry scored a total of 33 goals between them last season, while off the field they are two of the best characters in the game," the Foxes boss told the club website. "It's fantastic to have them here."

Howard, meanwhile, had no hesitation in dropping out of the Barclays Premier League where he struggled to make an impact, scoring just once in 20 appearances for the Rams.

"I got a phone call from Derby yesterday morning to tell me that they had accepted a bid," he said.

"When I was told it had come from Leicester I jumped at the chance. It was an easy decision to make in the end."

Hayles, 35, has scored 181 career goals and was given his first chance in league football by Holloway at Bristol Rovers in 1997 and the Leicester manager is delighted to have returned to his former club Plymouth to sign the experienced striker.

He said: "Barry brings experience, hunger and desire to this football club.It doesn't take a genius to work out that he is just the sort of player that we need.

"We have got a lot of young strikers at the club - including Matty Fryatt, Iain Hume, Ashley Chambers, Ricky Sappleton and Eric Odhiambo. DJ Campbell is 27, but he hasn't played that many games at this level during his career to date.

"He is an exceptional goalscorer and he has proved that at this level and higher. He has got a one in three goalscoring record at every level he has played at. I'm absolutely delighted that he has agreed to join us."

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