English third-tier club Preston North End announced on Friday that all of their players arrested earlier this year over allegations of spot-fixing have been released from police bail.

Six Preston players, including captain John Welsh, were reported to have been arrested in April as part of a wider investigation into spot-fixing by Britain's National Crime Agency.

"In April of this year a number of our players were very publicly arrested in connection with a wider investigation into 'spot-fixing' in football," Preston said in a statement on their website.

"At the time, they were bailed with a date for answering bail subsequently set for Wednesday 30th July 2014.

"We have today been informed that all of our players have been released from bail and are no longer under any form of formal arrest procedure. There will be no further comment on this matter."

The other players were reported to be Keith Keane, Bailey Wright, David Buchanan, Ben Davies and Graham Cummins.

afp