Preston North End confirm potential 'life-changing' injuries for striker Ched Evans

Evans was substituted during North End’s 2-1 win over Rotherham United last month, at the time unable to look up. Though the Lilywhites were initially hopeful to have him back on the pitch soon, they instead sent him to be checked out by a specialist who has given a serious diagnosis.

A PNE club statement on the matter read: “Preston North End can confirm striker Ched Evans will be unavailable for an extended period after developing a serious medical condition.

“The 34-year-old forward is facing potentially life-changing consequences as a result of repeated high-force contact which he has received on a weekly basis throughout his career.

“More common in American football and rugby players, the condition requires surgery to address his current symptoms and to prevent any further damage from occurring in the future."

It continued: “Specific time frames for a potential return will not be disclosed until the outcome of the surgery is known, but all parties remain hopeful that Ched will be back playing and scoring goals in a PNE shirt in the future.”

Manager Ryan Lowe spoke about the injury to Evans in the club’s pre-QPR press conference, with his focus firmly on the no.9’s family and life away from football once the injury is dealt with.

He said: "Me and Ched had a chat about it and there's life after football and that's what he knows. We'll be doing everything possible for Ched to get back playing football but it'll all be governed on him, not us. If he feels he's right and the specialist thinks he's right and we can go in and be positive that he'll be fine, then great.

"If not, and he's healthy and he's walking around and he's got his family to support and his kids on the park or wherever else, then even better. At this moment in time it's still raw with him and then when we get the surgery pencilled in he, and his wife definitely, will be relieved because there is a worry in that. Once that's done and settled down and we get him on the road to recovery we'll see where it takes us.

"He's got all of our best wishes going forward while he has the surgery and while he's here, we'll keep him bubbly and his routine ready. He'll probably spend a bit of time away with the family just to get his head around it which is fine but then we'll look to get his bubbly face back around the dressing room with the lads and coming to games once he's had his surgery and we'll keep a smile on his face as much as we possibly can.”

Whilst current priorities are on the Welshman’s health and wellbeing, Lowe is still hopeful of seeing his current top scorer back in a North End shirt again.

It’s been an emotional time for the PNE boss, who is grateful that Evans has already got a career in the game behind him.

Lowe said: “He's fine in himself, he's been in and around it and we're trying to keep him bubbly but it's a bit of a sickener isn't it? The most important thing for me, as I've said to him, and I've addressed it with the lads, you get a lump in your throat when you speak about it.

"He's 34 not 24, he's coming to the end of his career albeit he's in a rich vein of form and I think he was disappointed that he can't help the lads between now and the end of the season.

"In terms of that, he's okay, but the news is better than we thought it was because he'll have surgery and there's a good chance he'll wear a Preston North End shirt again. We'll have to wait and see on the surgery and how that goes.

"The most important thing, regardless of whether he puts a shirt on again, is his health, and his health will be fine.”