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Legendary PNE keeper dies
Preston North End legend Alan Kelly has died after losing his battle with cancer.
>> Tributes flood in for PNE legend
Kelly, 72, died in America at lunchtime on Wednesday.
He underwent emergency surgery for colon cancer in March 2008.
Kelly made 512 appearances for North End, a Deepdale record, and in 2001 the Alan Kelly Town End was named after one of Preston North End's greatest ever goalkeepers.
Kelly was forced to retire in September 1973 following a shoulder injury against Bristol City, but later went on to coach North End, first as assistant manager, and then as first-team boss.
He resigned in 1985 and moved to America shortly after to run a goalkeeping school in Washington.
He made 447 league appearances for PNE, but it was his remarkable consistency that made him one of Deepdale's best loved keepers.
In five successive seasons from 1966, he missed just five games out of a possible 214 league fixtures and was never dropped.
He is the Republic of Ireland's most capped goalkeeper after Paddy Bonner, winning 47 caps for his country.
He made his international debut at Wembley in 1957, England winning 5-1.
>> Alan Kelly 1936-2009
Read more about this story in Thursday's Lancashire Evening Post
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Weather for Preston
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
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Temperature: -6 C to 4 C
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