Mark Hateley

English striker who won five consecutive Scottish titles with Rangers and was named in the club's greatest-ever team.

Mark Wayne Hateley (born 7 November 1961) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker. He started his career with Coventry City in the First Division of English football. A spell followed at English Second Division club Portsmouth, where he ended the 1983–84 season as the club's top goalscorer. He then moved to Italian club AC Milan, where he suffered several injuries (requiring four operations); however, he did score the winning goal against city rivals Inter Milan in 1984.

In 1987, Hateley signed for French club Monaco, winning Ligue 1 in his first season at the Monegasque club. In 1990, he signed for Scottish Premier Division club Rangers. In his five-year spell in Glasgow, he was a part of a title-winning squad in every season, and he attained personal success in the 1993–94 season, as he was voted both the SFWA Footballer of the Year and the SPFA Players' Player of the Year, as well as the league's top goalscorer with 22 goals.

He briefly rejoined the club in 1997, as there were no available forwards for the Old Firm match, but was sent off on his second debut. In 1999, Hateley was named as part of Rangers' greatest-ever team, and in 2003 he was inducted to Rangers' Hall of Fame. From 1984 to 1992, Hateley made 32 appearances for the England national team, scoring nine goals. He was a member of the squads for the 1986 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 1988.

Quick Facts

Full name: Mark Wayne Hateley
Born: 7 November 1961
Birthplace: Derby, Derbyshire, England
Position: Striker

Lore & Background

Hateley was born in Derby on 7 November 1961. His father, Tony, was also a professional footballer who played as a striker for clubs such as Notts County, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool and Coventry City. Hateley trained with Nottingham Forest whilst still at school; however, he was rejected by then-manager Brian Clough, who did not believe he was sufficiently talented. Upon leaving school, he joined Coventry City and started his career in professional football, playing over 90 games in the First Division before moving to Portsmouth in the Second Division in the summer of 1983.

He scored 22 league goals for them in the 1983–84 season. On 28 June 1984, he was transferred to AC Milan for £1 million. He scored a decisive and historic match-winning headed goal in a 2–1 win against Inter in the Milan Derby on 28 October 1984; this was the first time Milan had defeated Inter in the Derby in six years. Arsène Wenger then brought Hateley to AS Monaco, his first signing for the club, in 1987 and he was part of the team which won the French Division 1 title in the 1987–88 season.

Ayrton Senna lived in the apartment below him, and Boris Becker lived next door, during part of his time in Monaco. Senna played five-a-side football with Hateley. After three years at Monaco, at the age of 28, Hateley returned to Britain in a £1 million move to Rangers on 19 July 1990, taking an 80% wage reduction compared to his pay at Milan. Manager Graeme Souness had attempted to bring him to Ibrox three years earlier from Milan.

Hateley became a key part of the Rangers side, and was voted player of the year by the Scottish Football Writers in the 1993–94 season. He scored 112 goals for the Gers in all competitions, including two that clinched the championship on the final day in 1991 and one in each of the narrow Scottish Cup final victories in 1992 and 1993. Rangers were league champions in every season that Hateley played for them (scoring 85 Scottish Premier Division goals in the process), as they went on a run of nine successive titles, which lasted from 1989 until 1997.

Regarding his strike partnership at Rangers with Ally McCoist, Hateley said: 'Alistair was the perfect partner for me. As a finisher, he was an unbelievable goal scorer. It was a great partnership.' In the 1992–93 season, Rangers scored 97 goals.

Reader's Guide

A traditional target man, Hateley was a physical centre-forward who was known in particular for his strength in the air and ability to score goals with his head.

Did You Know?

He was sent off for headbutting Stewart Kerr on his second debut for Rangers in 1997.
Hateley's son Tom, born in Monaco during his father's spell at AS Monaco, is also a footballer.