PAUL Hayes said speculation of a January return to Wanderers was 'blown out of proportion'.

Former Blues chairman Don Woodward said Blues attempted to sign the striker in the winter transfer deal when he became a free agent after leaving Brentford.

Woodward said wages were a stumbling block and Hayes instead opted to sign for one of his former clubs, Scunthorpe United.

Hayes said he was in contact with Blues boss Gareth Ainsworth but never took part in training at the club's Booker base.

He said of the January speculation: "That was blown out of proportion. My contract ran out at Brentford and I had a vague text message from the manager about the possibility. He said you're more than welcome to come down here and see where we go from there.

"Before I knew it I had the same conversation with Scunthorpe and they wanted me to go up there.

"It came out in the press I had been down to Wycombe training and trying to get a contract but it never got that far. I was willing to see if that was going to happen but football moves so fast the opportunity to go to Scunthorpe came up first."