In a season where some established stars enhanced their already-growing reputations, while others seriously failed to impress, a few players also managed to surprise fans and pundits alike with their performances.

Mathieu Flamini: Flamini's season began with a possible transfer to Middlesbrough and Birmingham and ended with a high-profile move to AC Milan. Arguably one of Arsenal’s best performers in the 2007/08 season, Flamini earned a place in the side because of injuries to Gilberto Silva and Abou Diaby, who both struggled to win their places back. At the start of the season, many had written Flamini off as a top-quality player but his partnership with Cesc Fabregas helped keep the club at the top of the league for a large portion of the season and eventually helped engineer a move to Milan and also won him some French caps.

Joe Hart: Hart began the season as third-choice goalkeeper at Manchester City, but after starting the Carling Cup match with Norwich he managed to keep his place for the majority of the season, keeping out established Swedish international Andreas Isaksson. While many people tipped Kasper Schmeichel to establish himself as City’s No.1, such was the level of Hart’s performances that he is expected to make his England debut on Sunday and was described by Sven-Goran Eriksson as  "one of the biggest talents in this country as a goalkeeper".

'While many people tipped Kasper Schmeichel to establish himself as Man City's No.1, it was the 20-year-old Hart'


Kenwyne Jones: Sunderland’s player of the season began the campaign in the Championship with Southampton and by Christmas was on the wanted list of some of the Premier League's biggest clubs. Unstoppable in the air and also a hard-working, mobile forward, Jones went on strike in August until the Saints agreed to sell him to Sunderland. By Christmas he had five goals and had given many Premier League defenders a run for their money. When Sunderland met Chelsea in April, John Terry described Jones as “very good player, very hard-working and probably the best in the air in the entire Premier League, he really is that good.”

A key squad member in many players' Fantasy Football teams, Jones surprised many people in football with his performances, especially in the first half of the season. Notable mentions must also go to Ashley Young, Bacary Sagna, Martin Laursen and Phil Jagielka.