FORMER Saints' midfielder Alan McLoughlin has undergone surgery after being diagnosed with cancer.

The Irishman, who made 24 league appearances and scored one goal for Saints between 1990 and 1992, underwent surgery to remove a kidney and a cancerous tumour.

After spotting blood in his urine, a visit to hospital confirmed the worst.

He now has to wait until next month to find out if the operation has been a success.

McLoughlin said: "I just jumped back from the urinal and called out to Lucas, one of the physios who had travelled with us. He told me to go to the hospital."

"I just remember putting my hand up to my face and thinking 'How am I going to tell Deby and my two girls Abby and Megan and my mum and dad?

"The one thing this illness has taught me is perspective -- but it has also made me reminisce about the past and how much we have to be proud of as a family."

McLoughlin, who is best known for scoring the goal which took the Republic of Ireland to the 1994 World Cup, was Saints' record signing when Chris Nicholls splashed out £1m for his services from Swindon.

After leaving Saints, he moved to Portsmouth for £400,000 and spent seven years at Fratton Park and now works there as a youth coach.