James Bree

Bree has played right back for a series of clubs across a long stretch of senior football, and the consistent thread through that career is a habit of chipping in going forward without ever being the centre of attention. He has set up goals from deep, scored a handful himself, and rarely looks like the reason a defence has broken down. That steadiness is precisely why he keeps getting picked, even when louder names are competing for his shirt.

The trade off is that a career built on reliability rarely produces the kind of highlight reel that wins a supporter's imagination. Bree has spent long stretches as understudy rather than first choice at nearly every stop along the way. Southampton fans watching him week to week are unlikely to see moments of individual brilliance, but they will notice how rarely his side looks exposed down that flank whenever he plays.