Anthony Hateley, born Derby, England, June 13, 1941. Tony Hateley was a tall and powerful centre-forward who is remembered for his exceptional goal-scoring ability and his incredible strength in the air.
Tony Hateley´s journey began at Notts County, where he would establish himself as one of the most feared strikers in English football, setting the stage for an adventurous career. Hateley started his professional career with Notts County, making his debut as a teenager. It was during this early period that he made a name for himself as a prolific goal scorer. Notts County, a club languishing in the lower divisions of English football, found in Hateley a talisman who could single-handedly win matches. He developed a reputation for his ability to score goals, especially with his head, towering over defenders and finishing crosses with clinical precision. His presence in the box became a nightmare for defenders. In 131 league appearances for Notts County, Hateley scored an astonishing 77 goals. His performance in the 1960–61 season was instrumental in helping the club achieve promotion to the Third Division. Moreover, his remarkable knack for finding the back of the net, whether with his head or feet, brought him attention from clubs in the higher leagues. As a result of his goalscoring feats, it wasn’t long before other clubs came calling. Aston Villa, one of the Midlands’ biggest clubs, snapped him up in 1963, offering him the chance to showcase his talent on a bigger stage.
Upon joining Aston Villa, Hateley continued to do what he did best—score goals. The Midlands club was in the First Division at the time, and Hateley’s addition to the squad was viewed as a major coup. Over the next three years, he played a pivotal role in keeping Aston Villa competitive. His 86 goals in just under 150 games made him the focal point of Villa’s attack. Hateley’s standout moment came during an extraordinary match against Tottenham Hotspur, where he scored four second-half goals to help Villa come from 5–1 down to draw 5–5. It was one of those remarkable performances that would stay etched in football folklore. However, despite his goals, Aston Villa were struggling, and Hateley’s presence was often more of a survival mechanism than a route to glory. His goals helped keep Villa afloat, preventing them from plummeting into the Second Division. However, the financial strains on the club at the time saw Villa sell their prized asset to Chelsea in October 1966.
The £100,000 fee paid for him was a club record, and expectations were high. At Stamford Bridge, Hateley was brought in as a replacement for the injured Peter Osgood, Chelsea’s talisman who had suffered a broken leg. Unfortunately, despite the fanfare, Hateley’s style of play was not well-suited to Chelsea’s fast-paced, technical football. Chelsea, under manager Tommy Docherty, had built a team around quick passing and movement. Hateley, on the other hand, thrived on crosses and long balls—his heading ability was arguably one of the best of his era. Docherty himself commented that Hateley’s passes often lacked direction, famously stating they should be labeled “to whom it may concern.” Despite these struggles, Hateley’s aerial presence still made him a threat, and he contributed key goals, including a famous header in the FA Cup semi-final against Leeds United. This goal sent Chelsea to the final, where they would ultimately lose to Tottenham Hotspur. Despite these moments of brilliance, Hateley struggled to consistently influence games in the way Chelsea had hoped. After just one season, having scored 9 goals in 33 appearances, Chelsea opted to move on from the towering striker.
In June 1967, Liverpool manager Bill Shankly broke his own club’s transfer record to bring Hateley to Anfield for £96,000. Liverpool had been searching for a consistent goal-scorer to lead their attack, and Hateley seemed like the perfect fit. His one season with Liverpool, while brief, was eventful. He netted 27 goals in the 1967–68 season, including memorable hat-tricks against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest. However, much like at Chelsea, Hateley’s strengths didn’t quite align with the way Liverpool played. Bill Shankly’s Liverpool side was built on teamwork, short passing, and fluid attacking movements, whereas Hateley was more of a traditional target man. Consequently, despite his impressive goal tally, he never fully integrated into Shankly’s system. After just one year, he moved again, this time to Coventry City. At Coventry City, Hateley spent a season in the First Division, adding a further 8 goals to his tally. However, as Coventry’s attack moved towards a faster, more fluid approach, Hateley once again found himself out of sync with the tactical demands placed on him. He soon moved to Birmingham City, another Midlands club, where he enjoyed a more fruitful period. In his time at Birmingham, Hateley’s towering presence helped the team immensely, as he continued to find the back of the net, keeping Birmingham competitive. Nevertheless, his biggest contribution to Birmingham City came not from individual brilliance but from his ability to lead the line and guide the club through difficult periods.
In 1970, Hateley returned to Notts County for a second spell, and it was as if he had never left. Once again, he rediscovered his scoring form, and under his leadership, the club secured the Fourth Division title in the 1970–71 season. This triumph was a fitting homecoming for Hateley, as he helped Notts County achieve success after years of struggle. His return to his roots was marked by a goal-scoring resurgence, and it reaffirmed the connection between Hateley and the Notts County faithful. His ability to elevate the team with his goals was invaluable, and despite having played for some of the country’s biggest clubs, it was at Notts County where he found his true calling as a hero. After his second stint at Notts County, Hateley spent brief spells at Oldham Athletic and even made an appearance in the North American Soccer League with the Boston Minutemen, where he played three matches. His time abroad was short-lived, and Hateley soon returned to England to see out his playing days. In his twilight years, Hateley turned to non-League football, playing for Bromsgrove Rovers, Prescot Town, and Barrow. Though the crowds were smaller and the stakes lower, Hateley’s love for the game never wavered. He remained passionate about football, continuing to contribute with his towering presence on the field until his retirement in 1974. Tony Hateley may have never earned an England cap, but his career is a testament to his incredible goal-scoring ability. In an era when English football was rapidly changing, his traditional target-man style set him apart, though it sometimes proved difficult to integrate into more dynamic, technical teams. Nevertheless, his tally of 249 goals from 499 league appearances is remarkable, and few players of his time could match his heading ability. Tony Hateley Playing Career: Notts County, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool, Coventry City, Birmingham City, Notts County, Oldham Athletic, Boston Minutemen, Bromsgrove Rovers, Prescot Town, Barrow.