James Quinn, we salute you

James Quinn has decided to retire from football rather than keep going but not play for his country. His dream of cheering us on to qualification doesn’t look to secure following the last 5 days (I didn’t have time to post this before the matches), but he’s still an absolute legend.

“If I can’t play for Northern Ireland then I would rather quit football and become a fan and cheer the lads on to qualification. I’ve played 50 times for my country and that is an achievement which fills me with pride.”

“Nigel phoned me when he took over and told me if I was playing regularly then there was still a role for me with Northern Ireland. But in my heart of hearts I knew playing for Northampton in League One wasn’t good enough to earn me a place in the international team.

“I still had a year left on my contract but I came to an agreement with my club and I feel the time is right to begin a new chapter in my life. There was the option of continuing to play for a few more years and drop down through the leagues but for me playing for Northern Ireland was the ultimate and I don’t want to continue playing knowing I will never pull on the green jersey again.

“I have had a very enjoyable career and the biggest highlights have come when representing my country and I will always be thankful for the opportunity of playing for Northern Ireland. It was something I took tremendous pride in and I now look forward to cheering the lads on to the European Championship finals.”






Take it easy big lad.

Quinn and Kirk transfer listed

Northern Ireland strike duo James Quinn, 32, and Andy Kirk, 27, have been placed on the transfer list by Northampton Town. The club chairman said:

“We are keen to strengthen the squad considerably in January and if that means that a few players have to leave to give the new manager, whoever that may be, the chance to do that then so be it,” said Mr Cardoza.
“In the meantime the players are still under contract and are still very committed to doing well for Northampton Town. We anticipate that the new manager will have the chance to be very active in the transfer market in January. These decisions have been taken with the full knowledge of the players involved and the caretaker management team.”

Quinn signs for Northampton

James Quinn will link up with fellow Northern Ireland striker Andy Kirk at Northampton after completing his free transfer from Peterborough. The transfer is a move from League Two to League One for 31-year old Quinn, who has signed a 2 year deal.

Northampton boss John Gorman:
“James is a player that I have always known, I coached him for a short time at West Brom and I have always rated him very highly. He learnt a lot about the technique of the game over in Holland and whenever one of my teams has been playing against him I’ve always thought he can cause problems. He isn’t the prolific goalscorer that perhaps he should be but he is a target man and a maker of goals. I think he is the type of player that a team like ourselves need and I’m delighted that he’s joined us.
“I feel we need strong competition for places and with James coming in that makes us stronger. He knows that he isn’t guaranteed a starting place because no one is but if we hadn’t brought him in and either Andy Kirk or Scott McGleish had picked up an injury we would have been left a bit short.
“We have brought in a player who has a vast experience of the game and he can hold the ball up well. I hope the fans give him a bit of time to settle in, The fact that he has joined us from Peterborough shouldn’t matter, he had a year left on his contract there and we have done well to get him here. He wants to play football and to be honest the fact that he has joined us from Peterborough didn’t even cross my mind. He will still score goals, he has scored some spectacular goals through out his career and he should be very comfortable with playing at this level.”

Quinn given free transfer!

From the Peterborough United website:

“Peterborough United have transfer listed striker James Quinn and the Northern Ireland international is available on a free-transfer.
Coca-Cola League One side Brentford have already expressed an interest in the front man who scored seven goals in his first season at London Road last term.
Quinn spent a loan period at Bristol City last term and was linked with a permanent move to Ashton Gate”

Healy and Quinn on the draw

Jimmy:
“Apart from last year’s win against England our victory over the host nation at Spain in 1982 has been Northern Ireland’s greatest achievement in world football. It would be amazing if we could reproduce that result in the qualifiers and there is no reason why we can’t.
“On paper we have been handed another tough draw but I can assure you none of the teams in our group will be glad they have drawn Northern Ireland.”
“There are a lot of good teams in our group but we should not fear anyone especially after the way we finished the World Cup qualifiers and of course after that result against England.
“Having said that we are still firm underdogs and in every one of the qualifiers we will have to be at our very best. It will be important to win our home games or at the very least not to lose and then concentrate on picking up some points on our travels.
“No-one will enjoy coming to Windsor Park and with the Green Army behind the team it is like another player for us at times. I still find myself thinking back to the England game and the hairs on the back of my neck still stand up when I remember the atmosphere.
“We have a few friendlies in the pipeline and it will be important we approach them in the right frame of mind in order to carry the momentum forward from the World Cup qualifiers.”

Sir David:
“I won’t give up hope before the group has even started and if can get off to a good start it will at least give us some hope,” said Healy.
“We have to do well in the first few games to have a chance. Since I have been in the squad we’ve finished groups quite well, but haven’t given ourselves a chance because of how we’ve started.
“With two teams to go through it will be tough with the strength of Sweden and Spain in the group too.
“Given our ranking any group is going for us, there are teams in there though that we should be beating. We can’t underestimate teams like Latvia and Iceland though. Latvia qualified for the last European Championships and Iceland beat us before, so we can’t take anything for granted. Even Liechtenstein held us 0-0 in a friendly way back at the start of our goal drought.”
“Playing against Denmark will bring back good memories for me after scoring against them before. My record shows that I have scored goals against the stronger teams and I’m hoping for more in this next campaign.
“We know that Spain won’t be relishing coming to Windsor Park after we held them 0-0 the last time.”

Lafferty and Quinn

I really am being put to shame these days by the commenters, who have a better idea of what’s going on with Northern Irish players than I do. Saturday saw James Quinn’s Peterborough travel to Kyle Lafferty’s Darlington. As well as Lafferty, Darlington have also loaned Kasper Schmeichel. Doesn’t he look wile like his father?

Anyway, Young Schmeichel was helpless as JAMES QUINN gave Posh the lead on 29 minutes:


Quinn would have had a second too, had it not been for the heroics of Schmeichel.

Darlington got an equaliser with 76 minutes played, and despite being on the back foot for the whole game, KYLE LAFFERTY scored his 2nd goal in 2 games in the 88th minute to hand them the win.

Unsurprisingly, Lafferty is loving it:
“I wanted to come out and gain first team experience and I think I’ve picked the right club to come too because everyone has been brilliant. Hopefully I can repay them by scoring goals and getting them results. Saturday I felt welcome on the way to the match. The lads were great to me and it’s just been brilliant and they’ve helped me settle in well.”
Lafferty is an injury worry for Darlington tonight for their match with Grimsby, as he has a dead leg, however all efforts are being made to resuscitate it.

Quinn joins Peterborough

Northern Ireland striker James Quinn has signed a 2 year contract with League Two club Peterborough, after rejecting a contract extension from Sheffield Thursday Night. Quinn told the official Posh website that promotion is his first goal:
‘I looked at everything on the table. There were a couple of clubs in this division who were looking to sign me and financially they were better deals, but I looked at the whole picture here and I am excited. The size of the club and what Mark Wright has already achieved in his managerial career are factors in my decision.
‘I don’t want to be coming here and spending two years in League Two. I want to get promoted this year. I looked at the squad and Peterborough have a good chance of promotion and I want to be part of it. I want to get out of this division as quick as possible,’
‘I played with Paul [Carden] at Blackpool and I know Peter [Kennedy] well from Northern Ireland. I know a couple of the other lads from playing against them down the years and I can’t wait to get started. They are a good bunch of lads, they are hungry and they want success. I hope to bring experience to the squad.
‘I have made a few caps for my country, on the pitch I play my own game and hopefully that will be good. I still have a few things to learn, but I have good people around me and I will learn a lot from the management team. I have worked with good managers in my career and I am excited with working under Mark and Steve Bleasdale.
‘I spoke to a few people about Mark and I have heard good things about him. I have worked with good managers in my career and I am excited with working under Mark and Steve Bleasdale. I hope that Lawrie Sanchez, the Northern Ireland manager, still knows what I can do with regards to international football.
‘Obviously playing in League Two puts me at a slight disadvantage, but hopefully Lawrie will be OK about it so long as I am playing regular first team football. I hope it won’t be a problem.’

Quinn putting pen to paper with new boss Mark Wright
Mark Wright was clearly delighted with his new signing:
‘I have been after James for a long time and he would probably have been here before we signed Trevor Benjamin. We know about James, he holds the ball up and brings others into play. We are a footballing side and we want someone to make the ball stick in attack so we can move forward.
‘Everyone at the club knows we have quick wingers and when Calum is fit again, we have great options. I just felt that the ball wasn’t being protected well enough up front and we were coming under attack as a result, but James will be a major bonus for us.
‘Anyone who gets international caps is a top player and for Peterborough to get him is magnificent, so I would like to thank Barry Fry for pushing the boat out to bring him in. We need to make sure he is sharp in training and then he can start playing for us.’

Former international Peter Kennedy is still at the club, despite rumours of him returning to the Irish League this time last year
Meanwhile, Keith Gillespie looks set to sign for Sheffield United.

Quinn leaves Wednesday

In a very strange piece of business, James Quinn hasn’t taken the contract he was offered with newly promoted Sheffield Wednesday. Quinn did well to get a new contract offered to him when so many other players were released, but now he has apparently got fed up waiting for them. Has he something else lined up?
From their Official site:
Sheffield Wednesday have spoken of their disappointment that James Quinn looks set to leave Hillsborough, but have given their best wishes to the departing striker.
The Northern Ireland international has told the Sheffield Star that an apparent delay in the club offering him a new deal is the reason behind his decision.
However Wednesday have revealed their efforts to keep Quinn at Hillsborough and have thanked the frontman for his role in last season’s promotion.
“The manager told James on the Monday after the play-off final that he would be offered a deal,” Owls Chief Executive Kaven Walker EXCLUSIVELY told swfc.co.uk.
“Paul Sturrock and myself then went on a break and, on returning, it took a further week for us to get in contact with James and make an offer to him.
“It is an unfortunate situation but we would like to place on record our thanks to James for his contribution last season and wish him all the best for the future.”

Quinn gets new contract

James Quinn has been rewarded with a new contract with Sheffield Wednesday, maintaining the quota of two Norn Iron players at the club:
“The club has made an offer and it looks like I will be sitting down with the manager to agree terms,” he said.
“I want to play in the Championship and to do that with Sheffield Wednesday would be great.”
“I don’t know if Lawrie has taken into account my performances for Wednesday but if I get the chance on Saturday I will do my best to show him my game has improved.
“I am happy to play the role of a foil for David Healy. As long as the team does well I am happy.”
Colin Murdock has been offered a one year extension to his contract with Crewe Alexandra, but hasn’t decided whether to sign it yet.

Saturday

Looks like he’s crying…
I was in Glasgow on Friday and Monday, arriving and departing from Scotland. Ivan Sproule was there on Saturday, and the Castlederg man made good use of his time at Celtic Park. He came on with 71 minutes played of Celtic v. Hibs with the score at 1-1 and 8 minutes later scored his first goal for Hibs to put the away side back into the lead. They went on to record a memorable 3-1 victory, their first at Celtic for 13 years. Winger/Forward Sproule signed for Hibs for £5,000 in January after being transfer listed by Irish League heroes Institute and has yet to start for the club.
Tony Mowbray on his substitution: “I knew the pace would have gone out of the game by the later stages and that’s why the changes were made. Celtic wouldn’t know much about Ivan Sproule, who just came over here in January, but he is electric quick.”
And a few choice words from The Scotsman about Ivan:
IVAN Sproule admits he took a gamble in joining Hibernian but the move appears to have paid off following his match-winning goal against Celtic which keeps the Easter Road side on course to qualify for the UEFA Cup next season.
The winger gave up his job as an engineer, turned down a contract with Derry City, and risked his forthcoming wedding to leave Northern Ireland and sign for the Edinburgh side in January.
Sproule said: “I’m in a bit of shock. I’m used to watching Celtic on TV so to play and beat them is incredible.
“My pace is my asset and the gaffer’s game plan was to use my speed and get in behind Celtic. Credit to the manager for calling it right. It’s been an amazing time for me. I played for Institute but was going to sign part-time for Derry. Then an agent asked me to go to Hibs for a week’s trial in January and I only clinched my 18-month contract on the last day.
Eyebrows were raised when Derek Riordan was replaced by Sproule in the 70th minute, but it proved a brilliant piece of management by Tony Mowbray as the 24-year-old terrorised Celtic left-back Joos Valgaeren.

The Mighty Quinn was also making the headlines on Saturday, handing Sheffield Wednesday a place in the League One play-offs. Quinn had only scored once since joining Wednesday in January but he had a header tipped over early on in their match against already promoted Hull. Brunt also went close before Thursday took the lead on 19 minutes. With an hour gone Quinn felt that Stuart Elliott was due a goal and so handled inside the box. Olyott calmly slotted home the resultant penalty. However, worried that manager Paul Sturrock might frown on this Northern Irish love-in, Quinn scored the winner with 93 minutes played to take Wednesday into the play-offs.
Sturrock could only muster:
“Quinn does not have enough self-confidence, but until he gave away a penalty, he was having his best game for me.”
Ah well!