FORMER Iron loanee Liam Trotter says he is impressed with the way Ipswich Town boss Roy Keane has coped with the pressure he has been under this season.

And he's tipping the Irishman to now transform the Tractor Boys' fortunes after they exited the relegation zone for the first time in four months last weekend.

Backed by the millions of owner Marcus Evans, Town had been expected to be challenging for promotion this term. But the reality has been a battle at the bottom end of the table.

Keane was rumoured to have been given two games to save his future at Portman Road as little as a month ago and it's a challenge to which the players have responded as they prepare to arrive at Glanford Park tomorrow unbeaten in 10 games.

It is a high profile job for which Trotter believes his boss deserves a tremendous amount of praise.

"There's definitely a different side to the no-nonsense guy that is portrayed in the media. They make him look like one thing, but that's the way the media is," the midfielder told sportscunny.co.uk of Keane.

"Really he's a very nice man and he's been good to me since he came here.

"He's been under a bit of pressure, but I'm not surprised with how well he has dealt with that pressure because that's what you'd expect from someone who has a CV like Roy Keane has.

"He's played at the highest level and in games bigger than the rest of us could ever imagine, so I think pressure is something he has had to live with his whole career.

"He's not going to get too down about it now."

Trotter played 12 games on loan with Scunthorpe during the second half of last season, including coming off the bench at Wembley to help the Iron to victory in the League One play-off final.

He was given the chance to move to Glanford Park on a permanent basis in the summer, but opted instead to sign a new one-year contract at Portman Road to try to prove his worth to Keane.

Although in and out of the first team this term, the 23-year-old is happy with his efforts.

"It's going well. It was a surprise maybe to get in the team so early, but that's a great thing for me because it shows a player who plays in my position (Keane) obviously thinks I'm a half decent player," he added.

"He is willing to put me in his team, which is a big confidence boost and it means a lot. It's enjoyable working for him."

Given that United were promoted last term, the fact that Nigel Adkins' side are above their visitors tomorrow in the table might surprise a few people.

But in a division which has already proved that the best place for the form book is out the window, Trotter is not one of them.

"Not many people would have expected Ipswich to be below Scunthorpe, but that's how this league is and how this season is going," he said.

"Anyone can beat anyone and I honestly don't think there's any game that a team can go into thinking it is a write-off.

"I'm not surprised to see Scunthorpe coping with the Championship. I was there last season and I know the players they have. I very much expected them to do well this season.

"The manager made a few good signings, but especially with the base of the team that was already there, in terms of the strikeforce and midfield, I was confident they could do okay."

To read more from Liam Trotter, including why he has no regrets about his decision to snub a summer move to United, see today's Scunthorpe Telegraph.