Paul Trollope believes defender Joe Jacobson is learning the hard way about the harsh realities of life as a professional footballer.

The left-back's season has already been disrupted by a nightmare run of injuries – and he was rated a major doubt for today's clash with Tranmere Rovers at the Memorial Stadium after being hit by illness.

The former Cardiff City player and Wales Under-21 skipper had enjoyed a largely injury-free career until he damaged knee ligaments during the Pirates' pre-season tour to Scandinavia.

That kept him out of action until a handful of substitute appearances in October, but his luck was out again when he came off the bench in the 2-1 defeat at Leicester City last month.

He lasted only 13 minutes before being forced off by a rib injury in a bizarre game in which the visitors were forced to use no less than four different players in the left-back berth.

Though Jacobson then made his first start of the campaign in the 1-1 draw at Hartlepool, he suffered a dead leg in the opening minutes, needed stitches in a head wound at the interval and consequently missed a week's training.

"I jokingly called Joe 'Lucky' this week because it seems in every game he plays he either gets injured or kicked," said Rovers coach Trollope.

"He came off the bench in the Millwall game last weekend and ended up with two gashes in his ankles.

"Things haven't gone his way. He's still a young lad and these sort of things are new to him. The injury he picked up in pre-season was the first major one he has suffered and it's a shame we lost him because he and Jeff Hughes were getting a good little understanding going down our left-hand side.

"He had been back a few weeks when he suffered the rib problem against Leicester, then we were gradually feeding him back into action gently because we didn't want to ask too much of him.

"He started against Hartlepool then featured in the Millwall game and made an impact. But this is a learning curve for him and will help him handle this sort of situation when it next comes along in his career – and it will.

"He has to stay strong and focused because he will come through it."

Jacobson missed preparations for the Tranmere game with a fever and swollen glands, but Trollope is hoping he will be well enough to be back in contention for next weekend's trip to Stockport County.

Bristol Rovers (from): Phillips, R Green, Pipe, Anthony, Hinton, Elliott, Lescott, Campbell, Disley, Lines, Hughes, Lambert, Kuffour, Duffy, Hunt, Langley, M Green.