Alan Browne and his former Preston North End team-mate Jack King link-up for a good cause

The pair were good pals at PNE and have stayed in touch since King left the club in summer 2015.

King recently auctioned a signed North End shirt from the 2015 League One play-off final to help out Didcot Town, the Oxfordshire-based club he played for earlier in his career and indeed watched as a youngster.

Didcot had been hit by football’s shutdown because of the coronavirus outbreak and King wanted to help raise much-needed funds for the Southern League side.

The highest offer for the shirt came from midfielder Browne who bid £340 so he could add it a collection.

King said: “When I first went to Preston the aim was to get back into the Championship as quickly as possible.

“It took a bit longer than we hoped but I certainly look back on that as the highlight of my career.

“I was pleased the shirt raised as much as it did – Alan Browne wanted it for his collection.

“It was pleasing to know it’s going to someone who is going to cherish it.”

King, 34, who is skipper of National League side Ebbsfleet, explained that Didcot was a club he had a great deal of affection for.

“I saw they were reaching out for fundraising,” said King.

“I have a number of shirts from my playing career and it was something I wanted to do.

“Didcot are close to my heart as a club. I think anyone who has been to the ground will appreciate it’s such a family club and it’s the heart of that community.

“I watched them when I was a kid and I had a very good time there as a player – hopefully those moments can come again.

“It’s a club I look back on fondly, which you can’t do with all clubs.”

King joined North End from Woking in July 2012, a summer when the squad was significantly changed under Graham Westley.

He went on to make 102 appearances for PNE, scoring 10 goals.

At the end of his contract King left on a Bosman to join Scunthorpe.

After a season at Glanford Park, he signed for Stevenage and spent two seasons there.

In July 2018 King dropped down to the National League to join Ebbsfleet.

King scored the Kent club’s winner against Chorley in February.