The Mighty Quinn

Due out in June 2013, a 25,000 word biography on Niall Quinn. Published by jMD media. 

THE MIGHTY QUINN

Niall John Quinn, MBE, was a professional footballer from November 1983 until his retirement in October 2002. 

A regular goalscorer, he starred for three different clubs – Arsenal, Manchester City and Sunderland. In his nineteen-year career, Quinn appeared in a total of 587 competitive club games and scored 170 goals. In addition he scored 21 international goals in 91 games for the Republic of Ireland, winning his first cap in 1986 and his last in 2002. 

 

A League Cup winner with Arsenal in 1986-87, Quinn also won a First Division championship medal in 1998-99 with Sunderland; he also enjoyed a brief spell as player-coach with the latter.

After his playing career came to an end, Quinn worked as a TV pundit and wrote a regular column for the Guardian newspaper. In 2002, he collaborated with sports journalist and columnist for the Irish Times Tom Humphries to produce a much-acclaimed autobiography mainly focused on the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan. 

In 2006, Quinn headed the Drumaville Consortium which bought Sunderland AFC and installed him as chairman. A brief, but unsuccessful, spell in charge as caretaker manager came to an end when he persuaded fellow countryman Roy Keane to take charge of the club; this proved an inspired choice as the new man helped the Wearsiders return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Quinn stepped down at Sunderland in early 2012 and has worked regularly for Sky TV since this time.