SAINTS could have to face last year's player-of-the-season next week, after Andrew Davies joined Preston on loan from Stoke.
The defender left Saints to join Tony Pulis' Premier League side for a undisclosed fee, thought to be about £1.2m, in August.
However, he has failed to make much of an impression at Stoke, starting just one game - the 2-0 FA Cup third round loss at Hartlepool - and making two substitute appearances in the league.
He is due to be with Preston - who Saints play at home a week tomorrow - until March 14, after turning down the chance to join one of Saints' relegation rivals, Norwich.
Davies said: "Norwich asked me to go for the rest of the season - but it's quite some distance away from Stoke.
"Now I'm here at Preston and looking forward to getting three points "I've been at Stoke for six months, but I have been injured so I asked the manager if I could go out and get some football.
"I've had a few loan moves, I like to play football - I don't like sitting around watching people play - I find football's a short career so you want to play as many games as you can."
