Footballers who have played league football for both PNE and Sheffield United
A-K
870) Brett Angell
PNE 18 apps; 8 goals
Blades 6 apps; 2 goals
PNE debut 26/02/2000 v Gillingham (H) – Lost 0-2
673) Bob Atkins
PNE 200 apps; 5 goals
Blades 40 apps; 3 goals
PNE debut 19/02/1985 v Rochdale (H) – Lost 0-1
955) Craig Beattie
PNE 2 apps; 0 goals
Blades 13 apps; 1 goal
PNE debut 04/03/2008 v Leicester (A) – Won 1-0
40) Frank Becton
PNE 113 apps; 46 goals
Blades 11 apps; 3 goals
PNE debut 21/11/1891 v West Brom (A) – Won 2-1
141) Dickie Bourne
PNE 62 apps; 8 goals
Blades 8 apps; 1 goal
PNE debut 10/04/1903 v Blackpool (A) – Won 3-1
672) Gary Brazil
PNE 166 apps 57 goals
Blades 62 apps; 9 goals
PNE debut 19/02/1985 v Rochdale (H) – Lost 0-1
792) Ian Bryson
PNE 151 apps; 19 goals
Blades 155 apps; 36 goals
PNE debut 04/12/1993 v Shrewsbury (A) – Won 1-0
970) Neil Collins
PNE 15 apps; 0 goals
Blades 2 apps; 0 goals
PNE debut 19/09/2009 v Coventry (H) – Won 3-2
223) Alf Common
PNE 35 apps; 9 goals
Blades 67 apps; 23 goals
PNE debut 21/12/1912 v Blackpool (A) – Won 1-0
877) Richard Cresswell
PNE 187 apps; 49 goals
Blades 8 apps; 2 goals
PNE debut 14/03/2001 v Wolves (H) – Won 2-0
50) John Cunningham
PNE 51 apps; 8 goals
Blades 24 apps; 7 goals
PNE debut 09/09/1893 v Burnley (A) – Lost 1-4
908) John Curtis
PNE 12 apps; 0 goals
Blades 12 apps; 0 goals
PNE debut 11/09/2004 v Stoke (H) – Won 3-0
966) Andrew Davies
PNE 12 apps; 0 goals
Blades 12 apps; 0 goals
PNE debut 14/02/2009 v Norwich (H) – Won 2-1
897) Claude Davis
PNE 94 apps; 4 goals
Blades 21 apps; 0 goals
PNE debut 25/08/2003 v West Brom (A) – Lost 0-1
29) Sammy Dobson
PNE 8 apps; 5 goals
Blades 6 apps; 1 goal
PNE debut 20/09/1890 v Derby (A) – Won 3-1
28) Jack Drummond
PNE 11 apps 4 goals
Blades 40 apps; 9 goals
PNE debut 13/09/1890 v West Brom (H) – Won 3-0
200) Jack English
PNE 6 apps; 0 goals
Blades 55 apps; 0 goals
PNE debut 02/01/1911 v Blackburn (A) – Won 1-0
826) Kevin Gage
PNE 23 apps; 0 goals
Blades 112 apps; 7 goals
PNE debut 02/04/1996 v Torquay (H) – Won 1-0
30) Hugh Gallagher
PNE 55 apps; 12 goals
Blades 38 apps; 8 goals
PNE debut 27/09/1890 v Bolton (H) – Won 1-0
857) Andy Gray
PNE 5 apps; 0 goals
Blades 58 apps; 25 goals
PNE debut 27/02/1999 v Oldham (H) – Won 2-1
952) John Halls
PNE 4 apps; 0 goals
Blades 6 apps; 0 goals
PNE debut 03/11/2007 v Barnsley (A) – Lost 0-1
25) Billy Hendry
PNE 15 apps 0 goals
Blades 69 apps; 4 goals
PNE debut 27/03/1890 v Notts Co. (H) – Won 1-0
122) Rabbi Howell
PNE 60 apps; 1 goal
Blades 155 apps; 8 goals
PNE debut 07/09/1901 v West Brom (A) – Lost 1-3
688) Alan Kelly
PNE 142 apps; 0 goals
Blades 216 apps; 0 goals
PNE debut 08/03/1986 v Crewe (H) – Lost 1-2
349) Jack Kendall
PNE 2 apps; 0 goals
Blades 80 apps; 0 goals
PNE debut 22/10/1927 v Clapton Orient (A) – Drawn 1-1
916) Robbie Kozluk
PNE 1 app; 0 goals
Blades 213 apps; 2 goals
PNE debut 08/01/2005 v West Brom (H) – Lost 0-2
Player Profile – Alan Kelly
Alan Thomas Kelly was born in Preston on 11 August 1968. His father made 447 goalkeeping appearances for Preston between 1960 to 1973 and Kelly junior followed in his father’s footsteps and made his debut in goal against Crewe at home in a 2-1 defeat on 8 March 1985 and stayed in the team for the remainder of the season.
Preston were promoted to Division Three in the 1986/87 season as Kelly shared the goalkeeping duties with David Brown, for this season and the following season.
Kelly missed the whole of the 1998/89 season through injury, but retuned the following season to make 42 appearances. The match on 13 January 1990 at Gigg Lane saw Alan play against his brother Gary in the Bury goal with their father watching in the stand.
The 1990/91 and 1991/92 seasons saw Kelly and Simon Farnworth make 23 appearances during each season. Kelly made his 100th league appearance for Preston in a 4-3 home victory against Shrewsbury 1 December 1990. His 142nd appearance was on 3rd March 1992 in a 4-1 defeat at Exeter. This was his last appearance for PNE, as on 24 July 1992 Dave Bassett signed him for Premier League side Sheffield United for a fee of £150,000 as cover for Simon Tracey.
He soon made his debut for the Blades as an 80th minute replacement for the injured Tracey on 2 September 1992 in a 2-0 defeat at Tottenham. Kelly was the first ever substitute goalkeeper used in the Premier League. Tracey was out for the season as Kelly made 33 league appearances in 1992/93. Sheffield United also reached the semi final of the FA Cup only to lose against Sheffield Wednesday. Kelly had helped them get to the semis as they had defeated Blackburn 5-3 on penalties.
The 1993/94 season saw Kelly make 30 appearances as Sheffield United lost their Premier League status. Kelly was now the understudy to Paddy Bonner in the Republic of Ireland Squad and was in the squad for the 1994 World Cup Finals.
After 35 appearances in 1995/96 the Blades finished 5th in 1996/97 but lost the final to Crystal Palace with 39 league appearances. The 1997/98 saw them lose in the play off semi finals to Sunderland but injuries limited Kelly to just 19 appearances. Again Kelly helped Sheffield United win their Quarter Final tie on penalties, this time in was 3-1 against Coventry. Although they were defeated in the Semi Final tie against Newcastle.
Kelly made his 200th league appearance on 28 December 1998 in a 2-1 win at home to Huddersfield. His 216th and last league appearance was on 9 May 1999 in a 4-1 defeat at Ipswich.
On 30 July 1999 Kelly signed for Blackburn for a fee of £675,000 and made his debut for the Division One side in a 2-2 draw at Ewood Park against Ipswich. Kelly made 30 appearances during that season.
The 2000/01 saw his appearances limited as Brad Friedel and John Filan were now in front of him. Kelly joined Stockport on loan and made 2 appearances, the first of these was a 1-1 draw at Bolton on 3 April 2001.
The 2001/02 season Kelly joined Birmingham on loan and made 6 league appearances, his debut was on 25 August 2001 in a 2-1 win at Walsall. Kelly returned to Blackburn’s starting eleven in May 2002 for two Premiership matches, the first of these was a 4-3 defeat at Anfield.
Kelly only made one league appearance in 2002/03, in a 3-1 defeat at Charlton on 25 November. In total this was his 40th league appearance for Blackburn.
His last ever game was a 4-0 win in the League Cup against Rotherham on 4 December 2002.
In March 2003 Kelly agreed a one year extension to his contract but suffered a finger injury at the start of the 2003/04 and, following medical advice, he decided to call time on his career in March 2004.
Kelly won 34 caps for the Republic of Ireland between 1993 and 2001 and is currently their goalkeeping coach under Steve Staunton.