John Quinn (footballer)
Encyclopedia
John Quinn is a former professional footballer who played for Sheffield Wednesday
, Rotherham United
and Halifax Town
. He also played for non league Worksop Town
towards the end of his playing days. Johnny’s professional career was long, lasting from 1959 to 1976 during which time he made 379 league appearances. Quinn played in the half back position or defensive midfielder
but he could also play at fullback and winger
if needed. He was only short of stature being 5 foot 6 inches (165 cm).
Quinn played football in the St Helens Combination League as a teenager for Prescot Cables F.C.
and signed for Sheffield Wednesday as an apprentice after leaving school. Wednesday had a top class team in late 1950s and early 60s and it was hard for the young Quinn to force his way into the first team. He made his debut as a 21-year-old on Saturday 26 September 1959 in a 2-0 home victory over Luton Town
, however he only made one more appearance that season. It took four years for Quinn to become a regular in the Wednesday side, his cause not being helped by the fact that he had to do his National service
during this time.
Quinn was a regular for Wednesday from the start of the 1964-65 season up to his departure from the club in November 1967 during his time at Hillsborough
he played 196 matches (including cup games) and scored 25 goals. He played in the 1966 FA Cup
Final
defeat against Everton
, wearing the number 11 shirt. Quinn moved to Second Division Rotherham United in November 1967, the team were struggling and were eventually relegated at the end of the season. He was made club captain by manager Tommy Docherty
and he played him at wing half. He stayed at Rotherham until July 1972 when he moved to Halifax Town as player-coach.
He took over as caretaker manager
of Halifax in September 1974 when George Mulhall
resigned and was eventually handed the job on a permanent basis until February 1976 when he was replaced by Alan Ball senior. He left Halifax immediately on 2 February after making 92 appearances for the club and joined non league Worksop Town. At this time Johnny opened a sports shop on Middlewood Road, Hillsborough
just 200 metres from the Sheffield Wednesday ground in conjunction with another former Wednesday player Gerry Young. The shop was a successful business for many years.
After the end of Johnny’s professional football career he formed his own charity football team “Johnny Quinn’s All Stars” featuring former professionals from around the South Yorkshire area such as Emlyn Hughes
, Lawrie Madden, Imre Varadi
and Mel Sterland. The All Stars have raised huge amounts of money for charity over the years and are still going today although Johnny Quinn announced he was pulling out as the figurehead of the All Stars in May 2006 with former Wednesday player Mel Sterland taking over. Sterland said at the time, "Johnny should get an MBE for what he's done for charities; the money raised must run into millions."
terraces. Manfred Mann
's version of the song "Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)
" was a hit in 1968 and was adopted by Rotherham supporters as a tribute to Quinn.
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
, Rotherham United
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
and Halifax Town
Halifax Town A.F.C.
Halifax Town Association Football Club were an English football team who most recently played in the Conference National, although prior to that they participated in the Football League for over eighty years...
. He also played for non league Worksop Town
Worksop Town F.C.
Worksop Town Football Club are a semi-professional English football club from Worksop, Nottinghamshire who play in the Northern Premier League Premier Division...
towards the end of his playing days. Johnny’s professional career was long, lasting from 1959 to 1976 during which time he made 379 league appearances. Quinn played in the half back position or defensive midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
but he could also play at fullback and winger
Winger (sport)
In certain sports, such as football, field hockey, ice hockey, handball, rugby union, lacrosse and rugby league, the term winger is the name of a position. It refers to positions on the extreme left and right sides of the pitch . In American football and Canadian football, the analogous position...
if needed. He was only short of stature being 5 foot 6 inches (165 cm).
Quinn played football in the St Helens Combination League as a teenager for Prescot Cables F.C.
Prescot Cables F.C.
Prescot Cables F.C. is a football club based in Prescot, Merseyside. It was established in 1884 and has also been known as Prescot and Prescot Town...
and signed for Sheffield Wednesday as an apprentice after leaving school. Wednesday had a top class team in late 1950s and early 60s and it was hard for the young Quinn to force his way into the first team. He made his debut as a 21-year-old on Saturday 26 September 1959 in a 2-0 home victory over Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
, however he only made one more appearance that season. It took four years for Quinn to become a regular in the Wednesday side, his cause not being helped by the fact that he had to do his National service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
during this time.
Quinn was a regular for Wednesday from the start of the 1964-65 season up to his departure from the club in November 1967 during his time at Hillsborough
Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
he played 196 matches (including cup games) and scored 25 goals. He played in the 1966 FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
Final
FA Cup Final
The FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just the Cup Final, is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup. With an official attendance of 89,826 at the 2007 FA Cup Final, it is the fourth best attended domestic club championship event in the world and the second most...
defeat against Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, wearing the number 11 shirt. Quinn moved to Second Division Rotherham United in November 1967, the team were struggling and were eventually relegated at the end of the season. He was made club captain by manager Tommy Docherty
Tommy Docherty
Thomas Henderson "Tommy" Docherty , commonly known as "The Doc", is a Scottish former footballer and football manager.-Playing career:...
and he played him at wing half. He stayed at Rotherham until July 1972 when he moved to Halifax Town as player-coach.
He took over as caretaker manager
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
of Halifax in September 1974 when George Mulhall
George Mulhall
George Mulhall is a Scottish former footballer and manager.Born in Falkirk, Scotland, Mulhall played as outside left who played at Aberdeen and Sunderland and was capped three times for Scotland before he became a manager for Bradford City, Bolton Wanderers and Halifax Town.-Playing career:Two of...
resigned and was eventually handed the job on a permanent basis until February 1976 when he was replaced by Alan Ball senior. He left Halifax immediately on 2 February after making 92 appearances for the club and joined non league Worksop Town. At this time Johnny opened a sports shop on Middlewood Road, Hillsborough
Hillsborough, South Yorkshire
Hillsborough is an electoral ward which includes the districts of Malin Bridge, Owlerton, Wadsley and Wisewood. It is one of the 28 electoral wards in City of Sheffield, England. It is located in the northwestern part of the city and covers an area of 4.6 km2...
just 200 metres from the Sheffield Wednesday ground in conjunction with another former Wednesday player Gerry Young. The shop was a successful business for many years.
After the end of Johnny’s professional football career he formed his own charity football team “Johnny Quinn’s All Stars” featuring former professionals from around the South Yorkshire area such as Emlyn Hughes
Emlyn Hughes
Emlyn Walter Hughes, OBE was an English footballer who captained both the England national team and the much-decorated Liverpool F.C. team of the 1970s.- From Blackpool to Liverpool :...
, Lawrie Madden, Imre Varadi
Imre Varadi
Imre Varadi is an English former professional footballer of Hungarian origin, known as a journeyman forward who appeared for 16 different clubs at all levels of professional football in England.-Playing career:...
and Mel Sterland. The All Stars have raised huge amounts of money for charity over the years and are still going today although Johnny Quinn announced he was pulling out as the figurehead of the All Stars in May 2006 with former Wednesday player Mel Sterland taking over. Sterland said at the time, "Johnny should get an MBE for what he's done for charities; the money raised must run into millions."
Trivia
In 1968 during his time at Rotherham United Johnny Quinn had his own song that echoed from the MillmoorMillmoor
Millmoor is a stadium in Rotherham, England. It was built and was used for football matches, and until the end of the 2007–08 season was the home ground of Rotherham United F.C., until a dispute over ownership forced them to move to the Don Valley Stadium in nearby Sheffield.The stadium was...
terraces. Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann was a British beat, rhythm and blues and pop band of the 1960s, named after their South African keyboardist, Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band...
's version of the song "Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)
Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)
"Quinn the Eskimo " is a folk-rock song written by Bob Dylan and first recorded during The Basement Tapes sessions in 1967. The song was first released in January 1968 as "Mighty Quinn" by the British band Manfred Mann and became a great success...
" was a hit in 1968 and was adopted by Rotherham supporters as a tribute to Quinn.