Player #817 for Aston Villa, Habib Bèye played as a right back for the club between 2009-10 and 2011-12 making 18 appearances.

Bèye was born in Suresnes, Paris, France on 19 January 1977 and was signed by Martin O’Neill from Newcastle United for £2,610,000 in August 2009 aged 32.

O’Neill had made some odd signings during his 4 years as Villa boss but the arrival of Bèye was the pinnacle.

A huge fee relative to his ability, a long term contract for a player - like a number of others brought in by O’Neill - who was patently below the standard required to perform in top flight football.

Like other O’Neill players Bèye’s career followed a familiar pattern - a high relative fee, initial game time then a loss of faith and a transfer out and significant loss. Such was the loss on Bèye that his contract was cancelled ahead of time.

Bèye started 6 of the first 8 games of the 2009-10 season before starting 4 of the next 44.

Following O’Neill’s departure on the eve of the 2010-11 season Bèye was handed 2 starts by caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald in Villa’s UEFA Europa League campaign before late arriving permanent boss Gérard Houllier handed his fellow Frenchman 3 consecutive starts in October 2010.

Thereafter things became stranger, firstly Houllier ‘promoted’ Bèye to his bomb squad soon to be also occupied by Stephen Warnock and removed Bèye from first team consideration or training for the remainder of the 2010-11 season.

For 2011-12 with Houllier gone and Alex McLeish in his place Bèye was given a single substitute appearance in the League Cup as Villa struggled to overcome lower league Hereford United.

That 87’ replacement for Chris Herd was to prove Bèye’s final appearance for Villa aged 34.

McLeish shipped Bèye out on loan to Doncaster Rovers in November 2011 before his contract was terminated to allow him to make his move north permanent in January 2012.