The 23-year old creative midfielder signed for Preston in August 2007 on a four-year deal after West Brom agreed to part with the player for a fee of £750,000, which could rise to £1.25million depending on a number of performance-related bonuses.

A former England Under 20 International, Carter made his Football League bow as a 19-year old with Birmingham City, and within four months he went on to score the penalty against Norwich that clinched Brum's promotion to the Premiership in the 2002 Play Off Final.

After gaining further experience on loan at Sunderland during the 2004/05 season, he was later snapped up by the Baggies for a fee of £1.5million in the summer of 2005. 66 appearances and six goals later, he has now become a North Ender, and helps to fill the creative midfield void caused by Paul McKenna's absence through injury.

He will undoubtedly bring a variety of attacking options to the club, with his creativity matched with an eye for goal - most notably when his late winner against Arsenal in October 2005 was later voted as Albion's 'Goal of the Season' at the end of their Premiership campaign.

Carts netted a genuine contender for PNE's very own goal of the season when his last minute wonderstrike stole a crucial 1-0 victory for the Lilywhites away at Leicester in early March.