Former Welsh international midfielder Paul Trollope joined Norwich on 7th June 2012 when Chris Hughton took some of his backroom staff with him from Birmingham to Norwich.

A youth team player at Swindon who turned professional in December 1989, he didn't make the grade and didn't play for the Robins. He joined Torquay on loan in March 1992 and signed for the Plainmoor side on a free transfer that summer. After 106 league games and 16 goals for Torquay, he attracted the attention of bigger clubs and joined Derby in December 1994 for a fee of £100,000. He had loan spells with Grimsby Town in August 1996 and Crystal Palace in October 1996. He moved to Fulham in November 1997 for a fee of £600,000 and left the Cottagers five years later. The move saw him join Coventry City on a free transfer in March 2002 after losing his place at Craven Cottage. He stayed only a few months at Highfield Road, moving to Northampton Town in July after being released at the end of the season

During this time, he made 9 appearances for Wales, making his debut in a win over Scotland in May 1997.

In June 2004 he moved to Bristol Rovers on a free transfer. In his second season he became caretaker manager and was then appointed first-team coach in a two-tier managerial structure, alongside Director of Football Lennie Lawrence, in November 2005. His first season in charge ended in a respectable midtable position of 12th place in League Two. The following year Rovers reached the Football League Trophy final but lost to Doncaster Rovers. They made up for this loss by winning promotion to League One via the play-offs. In the 2007–08 season, Trollope steered Bristol Rovers to mid-table security after a shaky start. Rovers also made the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for the first time in 50 years. In September 2009, following more success, he signed a rolling one year contract under which his title changed to manager. Despite his achievements at the club, he was sacked on 15 December 2010, with Rovers lying in the League One relegation zone. His overall record in charge of the club was 106 wins and 71 draws from 284 games

In July 2011, Trollope was appointed first-team coach of Championship club Birmingham City to work with manager Chris Hughton.

Hughton, Colin Calderwood and Trollope helped Norwich to 11th place in their first season in charge but dismal form in their second saw them sacked on 6th April 2014, with the board explaining: “Norwich City can confirm Chris Hughton, Colin Calderwood and Paul Trollope have parted company with the club with immediate effect - and former Canary winger and FA Youth Cup-winning coach Neil Adams has been appointed as first team manager. The Norwich City board has taken the decision to give the club the maximum chance to secure the points required between now and the end of the season to ensure retention of our Premier League status. the club would like to place on record it’s sincere thanks to Chris Hughton, Colin Calderwood and Paul Trollope for all of their hard work on behalf of the club since they took over in June 2012. Chris’s achievement in guiding City to an 11th-place finish in the Premier League last season was an excellent one and he has represented the club with dignity throughout his tenure. However the recent run of four defeats in our last six Premier League games and six consecutive away league defeats, left the club with no choice but to act, with five games still to play in the current campaign.”

Trollope was expected to join Brighton as assistant manager to Chris Hughton in January 2014 but instead joined Russell Slade at Cardiff as Head Coach on 14th February 2015. In May 2016, Slade was removed from the first team manager's position to become Head of Football. Trollope was appointed as the first team manager on 18th May 2016. Trollope, in his new role in charge of the first-team, will not report to predecessor Slade.

"There are areas that need addressing within the team and we will be looking to add quality and also the right people," added Trollope. "I had no reservations, it is a good club with a good fan base. Every coach has own philosophies and way of doing things. I have clear ideas what I want. I will bring my own style to that. Anyone who knows me will know that."

He became the new Assistant Manager of Wales at the end of June 2015, in addition to his Cardiff commitments. He replaces Kit Symons.

He was sacked by Cardiff on 4th October 2016 with the Bluebirds second from bottom in the Championship after only two wins in 11 games.He was replaced by Neil Warnock. Trollope becomes the third manager to be sacked by a Welsh club in the past seven days, following the dismissals of Swansea's Francesco Guidolin andNewport's Warren Feeney.

In November 2016, Trollope teamed up again with Hughton becoming Assistant Manager at Brighton, replacing Colin Calderwood who had joined Aston Villa.

Paul was sacked by Brighton along with manager Chris Hughton on 13th May 2019 following Brighton's poor form at the end of 2018/19 that saw them nearly relegated.

Trollope teamed up again with Hughton when Trollope was appointed as Hughton's assistant at Notts Forest on 8th October 2020.

After Hughton was sacked on 16th September 2021 with Forest bottom of the Championship and with just one point from seven games, Trollope also left Forest.

He later worked with Rob Edwards at Luton as Assistant Manager.

On 25th june 2025 he joined Southampton as Assistant Manager to new boss Will Still.