Nippy, well-built right-back who's had a couple of brushes with the top flight aims for a longer run in the first team
Mears started out at Manchester City, but the club’s promotion to the Premier League in 2002 hindered his progress and he joined Preston North End.
A powerful, athletic right-back who loves to bomb forward, he spent four years at Deepdale as the club came close to reaching the Premier League. His form attracted interest from Charlton but he switched to West Ham for £1m in July 2006 only to find opportunities limited. He rejoined old Preston boss Billy Davies at Derby on loan in January 2007 and, having put in a star performance in the club’s Play-Off Final win against West Brom at Wembley, joined permanently that summer.
However, his first season of Premier League football was hampered by a stress fracture that ruled him out for three months.