Arguably one of the most underrated performers over the latter stages of Everton's season was Seamus Coleman.
The defender sometimes comes under a bit of criticism from some quarters, but that can be true of almost every Blues player last term at the very least. What is never questioned about the club captain, however, is his commitment to the cause at Goodison Park even in the most difficult of seasons.
When Everton needed leaders to see them over the line, Coleman was there. He used every ounce of his experience to take up a rather unfamiliar position in the side at centre-back, help those around him through their tasks, and provide the loud support that is often needed on the pitch.
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That might have been most evident to fans in the latter stages, but it was consistent throughout the campaign for those behind closed doors at Finch Farm. Perhaps that's best summed up by Mason Holgate.
He is another who stood up to be counted in the closing matches of the season, playing an almost ever-present role throughout the last three months to get up to a level of form supporters haven't seen from him in a long while. Earlier in the campaign he had visibly struggled, though - and he's now revealed just how important Coleman was in helping that turn around.
Holgate told evertonfc.com: "I don’t overly look for someone to speak to and I don’t deliberately internalise things. I will talk to anybody if I think they can help me.
"Seamus could see it was difficult for me at the start of the season, he kept speaking to me and kept me going. I always believe that if I keep working hard, something will go in my favour down the line."
Similarly, when Alex Iwobi moved over to a wing-back role to help Everton to some crucial points, he made sure to give his captain the praise he thought was deserved. Speaking to the ECHO following the draw with Watford in May, the usual-midfielder detailed the times when his captain would shout at him to get in position and encourage him to push on into a tackle or to create an opportunity up the pitch.
Right-back is an area of the Everton squad that many have believed has needed addressing for some time. It's no secret that Coleman is approaching the twilight of his career, and the Blues need to be prepared for the eventuality of him not playing for the club anymore at some point in the future.
The hope right now is that Nathan Patterson can be that man. Depending on the formation Frank Lampard will be playing going forward, it's likely that the Scotland international could be challenging his more experienced teammate for the same position in the side.
That's all well and good, of course. Whichever player will make the team better should be starting matches going forward.
But, what those quotes show is the truth about how crucial Coleman will remain to the wider dressing room, whether he's on the pitch or not. Evertonians have always known how dedicated, strong-willed and mature the Republic of Ireland international is as a captain - and that has been able to shine through excellently in recent months.
Maybe he doesn't always get the acclaim he deserves in that sense, allowing his other teammates to bask in the limelight while he casually goes about his business. But, we all remember how Lampard wanted to turn the tables on that immediately after the dramatic win over Crystal Palace in the penultimate match of the season.
Standing the captain up in front of the whole dressing room, in one of the most emotional moments of a fantastic behind-the-scenes video released by the club, he said: "This fella, he's one of the best people I've ever met, as a man."
Nobody could really put that better, in fairness. And whether he's a regular in the side or not over the coming months, you can't doubt that his influence is still going to be absolutely crucial to Everton's fortunes.
