Football can be a fickle business – just ask Shane Long.

He’s gone from being the man whom notoriously well run Saints overpaid for at £12m, to an absolute bargain at just £12m in the space of a fantastic season.

Rarely will you see such a wholehearted and committed forward player as Long.

Daily Echo:

He had to endure being stuck out wide and in roles that didn’t fully suit his abilities at the beginning of his Saints career, but this season has grabbed his chance for a more central role with both hands.

He has played that running from deep off of a main striker position brilliantly, and has been a real handful for opposition defences when he has played up top as well.

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Daily Echo:

As well as that tireless running that would drive you mad if you were having to play against him, Long has one of the most incredible leaps of any Saints player for many a year.

He gets up high and has a knack of just hanging in the air.

Added to all that, he has found his shooting boots this season, as 11 goals in all competitions proves.

Long is a hugely popular figure amongst Sanits fans and likely to be a star of the team for seasons to come.

This will be remembered as the year he really got going at Saints, and makes him a genuine contender for the Daily Echo Player of the Season award.

• Tomorrow, we feature the second of our nominees