Premier League: 10 Players Who Made Their Name in the 2011-12 Season

The season many are regarding as the greatest of the Premier League era (if not, in English football history) has come to an end.

While 2011/12 may have shone above others in some respects, one similarity this campaign definitely shares with all those that came before it is the many players that can claim to have made a name for themselves over the course of the year.

As is the case with any season, many players will shine in the spotlight like they have never done before, establishing a reputation that will henceforth proceed them for years to come.

From new arrivals in England like Papiss Cisse and Nikica Jelavic, who quickly marked themselves out with their goals for Newcastle United and Everton respectively.

To others like Wigan Athletic's Gary Caldwell, who have been around the English game for some time, but who this past season really established their credentials as top-flight players.

Read on for the stories of these three players' seasons, and of seven others who made a name for themselves this year in the Premier League.

Nikica Jelavic

Nikica Jelavic's stint with Rangers meant the Croatia international was not unknown further south in the British Isles, but given the lacklustre state of Scottish football at present, how well his talents were expected to translate in the Premier League was unclear.

Well, at least that was so in the minds of those not so familiar with him.

Rangers knew what a gem they had on their hands, and so, too, did David Moyes, trusting his countrymen and his own judgement enough to invest a big chunk of change in the forward.

Jelavic repaid his manager's faith with 11 goals between his arrival and the season's end, and has given hope that, after not entirely successful experiments with Andrew Johnson, James Beattie, Louis Saha and Yakubu, Everton may have found the perfect type of striker for them.

The 26-year-old had scored plenty of goals elsewhere, but now having reached a platform capable of testing his ability further, he will want to establish himself as one of the top front-men in Europe's biggest leagues.

Papiss Cisse

Prior to joining Newcastle United, Papiss Cisse had already been demonstrating his goalscoring prowess for some time in the Bundesliga.

Thirty-nine goals in almost three years with Freiburg had demonstrated his quality, but for all intents and purposes, he remained something of an unknown among wider footballing circles.

That would not have been the case had he been at one of Germany's bigger clubs, but that semi-obscurity probably aided Cisse's progression in giving him time to work on his game. So much so that with a much brighter spotlight now pointed at him, he has responded immediately with performances of the most eye-catching variety.

The Senegalese international has thus far excelled in the Premier League, delighting Newcastle fans with the frequency of his goals whilst gaining admirers further afield with the brilliance of several of them.

Cisse will go into the 2012/13 campaign a marked man. Having responded well to many of the challenges set before him up to now, you have to believe he will deal with the greater scrutiny rather well.

Laurent Koscielny

There were several factors involved with Arsenal eventually getting it together over the course of the campaign, one that has finished with them in a wholly respectable third place.

One of great importance, and not just for now but possibly down the road too, was the solidifying of a defence that too often looked vulnerable.

Injuries had contributed to the arising of that issue, and even after improving it was far from the best back-four to have been seen representing Arsenal in recent decades. However, there are reasons to be hopeful that the Gunners can get better there, and one of them is the improvement of Laurent Koscielny.

Still only 26, the maturing defender has moved away from just being one of Arsene Wenger's relatively unknown young recruits, and this season has found himself more highly regarded than ever before.

It is likely Wenger will look to bring in more numbers to join Koscielny and his defensive cohorts, but whereas in the past there was a suspicion Koscielny may have been someone to lose out, that is not necessarily the case any more.

Gary Caldwell

Wigan Athletic's transformation from relegation certainties this season to a very intriguing prospect for the forthcoming campaign has been a remarkable one.

Manager Roberto Martinez has hit upon a formula that has at last given his team an identity, one that has that combined his determination for an attractive brand of football with structure and cohesion that had previously been absent.

Martinez has credited his captain Gary Caldwell for the pivotal role the Scottish international's leadership has played in that process.

Caldwell seems to have at last found his feet as a top-flight defender, and can be regarded as a crucial building block to be built around at Wigan.

There is still room for improvement of course, but his comfort and adaptability in adjusting to a new formation and excelling in this previously unfamiliar environment mark him out among defenders in his division who may have cowered at such a process.

Jake Livermore

After spending extensive time out on loan, Tottenham Hotspur finally gave midfielder Jake Livermore the call this past season.

The 22-year-old picked it up and has responded excellently to his opportunity, growing in confidence with the increased experience to the extent he looks very comfortable in a Spurs midfield that is full of competition.

Considering he is competing with team-mates like Luka Modric, Scott Parker and Sandro (Tom Huddlestone has been injured), it is testament to Livemore's stature now that he is a regular part of that rotation.

What the future holds at White Hart Lane is uncertain. Harry Redknapp has shown plenty of faith in Livermore and you expect will continue do so.

But should he stay or a desire for first-team football take the young midfielder elsewhere, one club or another will have an already solid midfielder who yet could step up another level or two.

James McClean

You can be forgiven for not necessarily being well-versed in the pros and cons of the reserve and youth team prospects at Sunderland.

Most are, and that is why James McClean seemingly came out of nowhere this season with a collection of exciting and effective displays on the wing.

McClean signed with Sunderland from Derry City last summer, and after given time to settle in a new country, was given his chance by new boss Martin O'Neill.

Straight away the Irish winger made an impact. His introduction against Blackburn Rovers with Sunderland a goal down gave them fresh impetus and they turned it around to win 2-1.

In fact, McClean very much did the same for Sunderland's season as a whole. His contributions lit up a stagnant team and a weary fan base.

His season is not yet over.

With a European Championship to look forward to representing Republic of Ireland, McClean may yet open the eyes of a few more people to this most promising of talents.

Grant Holt

15 goals in your first season in the top-flight is a heck of a return. That Grant Holt has continued to score goals all the way up the footballing ladder may not come as a surprise to the Norwich City fans who have enjoyed watching the striker, but his displays this season have certainly caught the attention of many more folks outside of East Anglia.

At 31, Holt is no spring chicken, but neither were the likes of Didier Drogba and Luca Toni, two powerful and lethal forwards who blossomed in their late twenties after many years plying their trade in relative obscurity.

Holt will probably not turn out to be in their class, but he has shown his credentials in the Premier League and will be looking to reiterate them again beginning in August.

Ramires

People should know better by now, given the improvements players like Lucas Leiva and  Michael Essien made after their early experiences in the Premier League, but sadly not.

Ramires had a decent enough first campaign at Chelsea but he was still finding his feet. But rather than understand the logistics and intricacies that come with settling in a new country both on and off the pitch, some people were quick to write the Brazilian off as a flop.

This season he has more than shown his worth.

There have been some performances (like the second leg at Barcelona with that superb chipped goal) that have demonstrated that in the present, but optimistically for Chelsea, what we have seen of Ramires this season suggests that value should only increase in the future.

Michel Vorm

Michel Vorm has been around a while already. Almost seven years spent at Utrecht saw him recognised in his homeland as one of their best goalkeepers and he has since duly been recognised with international camps for Netherlands.

Few outside of Holland will have been familiar with his work though, and it has taken a move to Swansea City and the Premier League to see him gain further recognition.

The signing of Vorm was a shrewd bit of business by Swans boss Brendan Rodgers, a move that has paid off abundantly for his team.

The importance of a steady pair of hands between the sticks has been demonstrated so often throughout the years at a variety of clubs in England and abroad. That Swansea have found a man to fill that role for them, possibly for years to come, will stand them in good stead in their attempts to remain in the Premier League.

Vincent Kompany

Vincent Kompany was already one the most highly regarded young defenders in European football when he arrived at Manchester City, and that reputation has been enhanced further in his time in England.

Where the Belgian has really made his name this season has been as one of the great captains of the Premier League, of both the present day and of years gone past.

A team's captaincy can be overrated in its importance, but then again it is hard to dispute the roles played by the captains in the great title-winning sides in English football history.

There was Billy Wright with Wolves in the 1950s and Danny Blanchflower for Tottenham Hotspur in the 1960s, right through to in recent times the likes of Roy Keane at Manchester United, Patrick Viera at Arsenal and John Terry at Chelsea.

Kompany has led his City team excellently this year, both on and off the pitch. He is clearly a man his teammates respect and will willingly follow into battle, where he has delivered with consistently solid defensive displays and even important goals (as recently seen in the 1-0 win over Manchester United).

So few teams and players get to win a top-flight title in football that when they do, they will always be remembered. Such is the case with this City side, and such is the case with their captain.