Excluding new signings, last season saw a few surprise players emerge from the ranks to play a major part in our resurgence under Tonda Eckert, so who will be the unexpected heroes of the coming season.

When a club signs a player the fans all hope that he will be a big hit, that was certainly the case with most of our signings last year.

But sometimes a hero comes to the fore from an unexpected direction, last season we had several who could be described as coming right out of the blue after an uninspiring start to their Saints careers.

Cameron Bragg, James Bree, Kurya Matsuki, perhaps even Ross Stewart, all had not exactly set the World alight at St Mary's this time last year, but who could step up to the plate for the coming season and surprise us all as this quartet in the last.

I think there are a few players who might well raise a few eyebrows in the coming months, Mads Roerslev, Damion Downs, Jay Robinson, Joshua Quarshie, Joachim Kayi-Sanda & Nick Oyekunle all stick out when I look at our squad as players who might just sent their reputations soaring.

This perhaps shows the depth of our squad that we have 7 players there with varying experience who could become a surprise package this season.

Of course all will not succeed, for a couple maybe it is a season too early, but lets take a look at them all and see what their chances of being the next hero of St Mary's could be.

Mads Roerslev is perhaps the favourite to come good, at 27 he has plenty of experience, a Danish international with 92 Premier League games at Brentford to his name as well as playing a major part in their promotion season to that League.

There were high hopes for him when he was signed last season, however it did not go well, but you could say that for a lot of players under Will Still so we should not judge him on the early part of last season, where he was used as a wing back rather than as a traditional right back which is his preferred position.

Injury ended his season after just two short sub appearances in Tonda Eckerts opening games as manager.

Tonda Eckert prefers a back four and so now back to fitness, James Bree could have some real competition for a place in the side given the Dame's pedigree, so I for one would not be surprised if Roerslev came to the fore in the next few months.

Next up is Damion Downs and I pause here to allow most of you to spit on the ground, but I am not yet writing off Downs, although for reasons beyond his control I do not think it will happen.

Downs can score goals though and he showed that in both last years pre season and this, as with Roerslev, he found himself playing in a side in disarray under Still and in many respects he was no worse than those around him.

Strikers thrive on confidence and that comes with scoring goals and if Downs got a couple then things could change greatly.

However I don't think he is suited to playing the way that Tonda Eckert usually likes to set out his sides, he struggled in his games under Tonda because he is not a hold up player, Ross Stewart and Cyle Larin have differing skills but they can both hold up the ball and bring others into the equation, they can play with their back to the goal, but I don't think Damion Downs can do this.

I may be wrong, but from what I have seen he is an out and out central striker, he doesn't create chances he wants to finish them, he want's to be played through as he was at Braunschweig on Friday when he finished with aplomb, he want's to get on the end of crosses and through balls, not drop deep to lay it off to others.

Therefore although I think he can be a very good striker, as long as Tonda Eckert is manager I don't think the style will suit him.

Therefore I don't see him as playing much next season for us, at best a squad player thrown on in an emergency or departing the club either on loan or a sale, I think Downs can become a surprise package, but not here, he needs to go somewhere were they play to his strengths and not his weaknesses, good luck to him wherever he is.

Jay Robinson was one of the few who thrived under Will Still, he was a regular starter in the opening games and scored at Ipswich, but under Tonda he became more a bit part player.

Injury didn't help as he missed a fair few games in the final months of the season, but there were too many around him putting in shifts and he was kept out of the side.

Out of all the 6 players I have mentioned in this article, he is the most talented and perhaps a good bet to come good.

Another who Will Still picked was Joshua Quarshie, most of his 11 starts were under him, he was finding his feet in England and under Tonda was mainly unused on the bench, but when he did get a game he let nobody down.

Mainly played in a back three which to be honest was disorganised at best for most of the time, it would be interesting to see Quarshie played in a central pairing, perhaps he could form a solid partnership with Taylor Harwood- Bellis or indeed replace him if the one cap England international was to leave.

At 22 he could well step up to the plate and surprise a few people.

Now we get to the two outside bets and the first of these is Joachim Kayi-Sanda, he is perhaps the real outside in this list.

Still only 19 he impressed as a sub in the final two Premier League games of 2024/25 as a defender who could play the ball and was comfortable on it.

His spell out on loan in France at Red Star did not go too well last year, although it has to be said he had played at that level previously leading Saints to sign him, so perhaps it was circumstance rather than his ability that was the issue.

I would expect him to go out on loan again this term, but there could be a twist or two, if he doesn't you never know, he might get in the side and stay in at St Mary's, or he might excel out on loan and get a recall.

I'm really putting his name in the pot more in hope than expectation, but watch this space this time next year.

Last up is perhaps the outsider who might just save Saints a few million quid, a prolific scorer in both the U18 Premier League & Premier League 2, he is on the fringes of the first team and after making 3 sub appearances last season, including the final 25 minutes in the 2-0 win at Stoke, he is certainly in Tonda Eckert's radar.

He has trained with the first team this summer and scored in the 3-1 win at Eastleigh playing 45 minutes in the first half, following that up with another 45 minutes in the second half at Braunschwieg, although he didn't score on this occasion.

He could well feature on the bench in a few more games this season and as it progresses I would not be too surprised to see him make an impact as he gets used to the level.

So here are six players who I think could make a real impact next season, of course I would not expect them all to do so, however if two of them come to the fore, than that would strengthen our options and make us a stronger side than last season.

So who do you think is the best bet to be the surprise package of the season, vote in our online poll using the link below

Who Will Be The Surprise Star Of The Season

All Photos Via Reuters