Aston Villa have suffered a tough first season back in the Championship and the pressure will be on Steve Bruce to guide them back into the Premier League next year, with promotion looking seriously unlikely this time out.

The Villans have been left rue a seriously poor start to the season under former manager Roberto Di Matteo, who couldn't get the gears rolling on what should have been a title-pushing season after a summer of serious investment at the club.

The spending continued in January under Bruce and it's becoming increasingly clear that over the coming months, Villa fans will want to see more from a group of players that should be good enough to mix it at the top of the table.

But away from the current squad, there have been some superb players to turn out for Villa over the years and undoubtedly, individuals that would have thrived at the club if they weren't moved on so quickly.

So with that in mind, here's the players that Aston Villa were way too quick to sell....

Yacouba Sylla

Widely unknown midfielder Yacouba Sylla was brought to the club back in the winter of 2013, with many Aston Villa fans believing the young Malian was the answer to the midfield problems the team were suffering at the time.

But he struggled to make a real impact at the club and is currently playing for Rennes, where he's impressed during a loan switch at Montpellier.

He's a seriously tough-tackling midfielder who is finally beginning to show his worth and could he be one that was let go a little too early?

Christian Benteke

Of course, he's the Belgian forward that became a familiar face in English football after his spell with Aston Villa.

He single-handedly kept Villa in the top flight for a good couple of seasons before completing a huge money move to Liverpool, for around £32million.

But his career has since nosedived after leaving Villa and now at Crystal Palace, he's still struggling to find that form that saw him compete so well in the Midlands. That £32million is certainly something Villa haven't reaped the reward for having lost one of their best players a little too early.

Marc Albrighton

Not many players can say they've left a team like Aston Villa on a free transfer to go on and win the Premier League.

But for Marc Albrighton, that was very much the case and he's gone on to do great things having left Villa Park to join the Foxes. He's impressed in the Champions League and in the league this season and he's certainly a player Villa could do with as they continue to struggle in the Championship.

Scott Sinclair

18 goals in your first season with your new club is seriously impressive and Scott Sinclair is certainly a player who is very much shining away from Villa Park.

He struggled to find his best form in the Midlands and its safe to say that a move North of the border has certainly kickstarted his career once again.

But for a poultry £3.5million, is he a player that Villa should have kept going forward?

Idrissa Gueye

At times over the past two seasons, Villa fans have accused their team of not performing well enough when it comes to effort and tempo.

But one man that certainly doesn't fall into that category is Idrissa Gueye, who shone during Villa's relegation season last time out.

He's now performing seriously well at Everton but for a transfer fee of just £7million, would Villa have been better off to keep hold and have him lead them out this season? Absolutely- he gave so much drive to their midfield.