Preston North End Club legend Alan Kelly Snr is currently recovering in hospital in the the United States after undergoing surgery for colon cancer.

The Club are saddened to hear the news and would like to pass on our best wishes to Alan and his family.

Kelly Snr holds the all-time Club record for appearances, playing 513 times between 1960 and 1973. He is also a legendary figure for the Republic of Ireland for whom he played 47 times. Alan also managed Preston North End and managed his home nation for one game.

His son Alan Kelly Jnr went on to play more than 150 games for the Lilywhites and he spoke to pne.com this week: "He's been in hospital for the past seven weeks, he's had major surgery for colon cancer. Myself and my older brother David had to go out there because it didn't look too good at one stage, he's been through a few sticky little patches but I spoke to him a couple of days ago and he seems brighter and he's getting better and he told me that there's life in the old dog yet.

"He's had two major surgeries and the doctors think that they have cut out most of the cancer and now he'll have to go through the chemotherapy and everything that goes with it, but he seems positive about the end result and we'll keep our fingers crossed."

You can send your messages of support to Alan Kelly Snr courtesy of the Club at editor@pne.com. We will forward all messages on to the Kelly family.