Giant defender 'Trots' last season was an absolute nightmare for him and North End with injury denying the opportunity to make any first team appearances.

The former Oldham central defender is very much considered to be one for the future by manager Alan Irvine and after a couple of first team outings this season both parties hope his current loan with Southampton will develop him further.

North End beat off stiff competition from a host of other clubs to secure the signing of the Levenshulme-born man the day before the closure of the January transfer window in 2008.

The 20-year-old centre-half had the scouts flocking to Boundary Park in his relatively short Latics career, but the Preston North End board and management moved quickly to secure the player's signature, paying a guaranteed £500,000 for the him with various incentive based add-ons to the deal.

Trotman started his career with Burnley but was released as an 18-year-old from the Turf Moor club before being quickly snapped up by the Latics. The defender made his debut for Oldham during the 2006/07 season, but didn't become a regular until the following season when an injury to former North End favourite Sean Gregan at Boundary Park allowed Trotman to make a total of 20 starts for the League One side.

He made his first appearance for Preston in the crucial 2-2 draw at Plymouth Argyle in April 2008 that secured North End's Championship survival and made two more outings that season.

A hernia problem sidelined Trots for much of his second season as a PNE player with him only returning to the reserve team in late 2008. Further second string appearances were followed by an impressive loan spell at Colchester when then-manager Paul Lambert labelled his debut one of the best he had seen.

The former OIdham defender bagged his first PNE goal in the 5-1 win over Morecambe just before his move to the south coast.