John Carew missed a huge chunk of 2008-09 through injury but still finished as the club's leading scorer for the second consecutive campaign.
Despite his two-month absence, the Norwegian marksman hit a total of 15 league and cup goals - two more than his haul for the previous season.
He also won the award for Villa's goal of the season, a spectacular sidefoot volley from the edge of the penalty area in the 2-2 home draw against Stoke City.
And even when he wasn't scoring, the tall, powerful striker posed a constant threat to opposition defences, holding the ball up well and creating space for the likes of Gabby Agbonlaghor and Ashley Young.
Having played initially in his home country, Carew's career has taken him to Spain, Italy, Turkey and France but he has found Premier League football very much to his liking since his arrival from Lyon in a deal which saw Czech international Milan Baros move in the opposite direction.
He has now scored more league goals for Villa than for any of his previous clubs, and in August 2008 he committed his long-term future to the club by signing a contract designed to keep him at Villa Park until the summer of 2011.