Villa's Fab 50
22: Tony Hateley
Career: 1963-1966
Appearances: 148
Goals: 86
If Tony Hateley had been fortunate enough to play in a successful Villa team, who knows how many goals he might have scored in claret and blue?
As it was, his ratio was slightly better than one every two games, which is incredible when you consider he played for the club the lean years which culminated in Villa's relegation in 1966-67.
As it was, Hateley had long since departed by the time the drop into Division Two was confirmed, having joined Chelsea for £100,000 in October 1966.
We can only speculate on whether Villa would have survived had Hateley stayed.
Based on his prolific scoring over the previous three seasons, it's fair to assume they would have had a fighting chance.
Even in a struggling side, the former Notts County striker had no great difficulty in hitting the target.
Having hit the only goal of the game on his debut at Nottingham Forest on the opening day of 1963-64, he finished that season with 17 - and they were crucial to Villa staying above the relegation zone.
An ever-present in 1964-65, his league haul rose to 20 - plus a further 14 in cup-ties, including four in a 7-1 League Cup romp against Bradford City as Villa reached the semi-finals before losing to Chelsea.
And although he missed three games the following season, his league total was a phenomenal 27, including four in a 5-5 draw at Tottenham.
All profiles courtesy of Rob Bishop and Frank Holt's comprehensive book: Aston Villa - The Complete Record.
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Villa's Fab 50 Countdown
50: John Carew - click here
49: Juan Pablo Angel - click here
48: John Deehan - click here
47: Ken McNaught - click here
46: Gary Williams - click here
45: Tony Daley - click here
44: Ashley Young - click here
43: Jackie Sewell - click here
42: David Platt - click here
41: Dean Saunders - click here
40: Olof Mellberg - click here
39: Martin Laursen - click here
38: Dion Dublin - click here
37: Gabby Agbonlahor - click here
36: Bobby Thomson - click here
35: Harry Burrows - click here
34: Mark Bosnich - click here
33: Ray Graydon - click here
32: Les Smith - click here
31: Harry Parkes - click here
30: George Cummings - click here
29: Jimmy Dugdale - click here
28: Chris Nicholl - click here
27: Alan Wright - click here
26: Jimmy Rimmer - click here
25: Brian Little - click here
24: Gerry Hitchens - click here
23: Peter Aldis - click here
22: Tony Hateley