He is one of the few that can hold his head high from the relegation season and subsequent fallout in the first half of last season. A centre back by preference, he played out of position at left back for much of the season without complaint giving his all with some wholehearted displays.
Not the most skillful player on the ball and the less said about his distribution the better, but he frequently put himself into the danger areas and will be remembered for his dramatic late equaliser against Palace that staved over relegation, albeit until the last day of the season. He became something of a dead ball specialist last season, scoring 3 times from free kicks and the penalty spot.
After so many years in the Premiership, he had his pay halved in the Championship as with the majority of the players, but was clearly annoyed with the club's contract offer under Rupert Lowe and subsequent improved offer under the new board.
Stoke boss Pullis revealed that they had been trying to sign Higgingbotham for six weeks, meaning that he'd been mulling over a week for several weeks. Higginbotham will have known that he is now behind 17 year old star Gareth Bale at left back and faces a battle for a centre half slot with Lundekvam, new signing Pele and Svennson if he can ever get fit again.
He had a reasonable chance of securing a centre back berth, with Pele yet to prove himself at this level, but with a contract offer not to his liking and the chance of an automatic starting place he felt that Stoke represented a better option for him.
The real surprises are that such a clearly committed player would want to leave and that he didn't go to a side towards the bottom of the Premiership. That strongly suggests that it is about first team football for him and that he had made his mind up to move, with Saints having to settle for a meagre initial £225k for a player in his prime at 27 and who cost us £1.5m.
Higginbotham played 106 times for Saints, 10 of which as sub, scoring 4 goals. It is a pity to lose a valuable and popular member of the squad and we wish Danny all the best for the future, except of course against Saints where he hope he has shockers.
This now ups the pressure on Saints to find a replacement for Higginbotham, with Burley on the lookout for cover at left back, even better a versatile defender that can also cover centre back while Pele settles and Svensson and Powell return from injury.