Ex-Sunderland hero details failed Malaysia transfer move before £1.3m switch from Man City
The Sunderland legend has revealed details of a failed move to Malaysia before joining the Black Cats
Sunderland legend Niall Quinn has revealed an offer from Malaysia before Sunderland came calling.
The former Arsenal, Manchester City and Republic of Ireland striker joined Sunderland in 1996 and stayed until 2002, departing as a firm fan favourite after his iconic partnership with fellow forward Kevin Phillips. Quinn netted 67 times in 218 games across all competitions for Sunderland and was granted a testimonial at the Stadium of Light after his retirement.
The Dublin-born man then came to the club’s rescue in 2006 and successfully brokered a deal to buy a controlling stake in Sunderland, heading the Drumaville Consortium of wealthy Irish businessmen. Five years later, American businessman Ellis Short replaced Quinn as chairman of Sunderland with the Irishman appointed as Director of International Development. Quinn remained in the role until stepping down in 2012 six years after his initial involvement.
However, Quinn, now 56, has revealed that offers for the striker were few and far between back in 1996 after the striker suffered a serious cruciate injury while with Manchester City, except for one opportunity in Malaysia before Sunderland came calling
When asked if there were offers from clubs in England other than Sunderland before the move, Quinn said: “Not really, because of what happened. I'd had a cruciate a year or two before and I hadn't really done myself justice in the Man City team when I came back.
“In those days when you had a cruciate , it was trouble. Alan Shearer had recovered, but others didn't, like Gascoigne, for instance, and it was a tough thing to know that there's doubt in the air among the management. I'd been sort of overlooked because of the injury, so Paul Walsh, players like that, had come in and took my place.
“The last couple of years, it didn't really happen for me, and I didn't have a lot of options. In fact, I very nearly signed for a team called Selangor in Malaysia. Tony Cottee went there later, and David Rocastle, my old friend David. At that time, that was the option open to me and Peter Reid rang me and said, come up to Sunderland.”
Quinn signed at Sunderland for a club record £1.3 million but missed six months of his first season due to a knee injury – similar to the one which ruined his World Cup chances three years earlier. The Irishman eventually recovered to cement himself as a club legend.
“That was the call that changed everything,” Quinn reflected. Great start, loved it. The club had been promoted into the Premier League, there was a real buzz in the air and five games in, then I had my cruciate. I came back way too early after the second cruciate. This was my second one, and I had a goal in the summer to come back. It didn't really happen for me.
“I played the first few games, and I was on my way out at 30 years of age. Peter Reid said, let's go and get a second opinion. The PFA had sent me my forms to quit and showed me my options, so that's the mood of where I was.”