Niall Quinn learned his trade at Arsenal before enjoying a successful career in the top flight.
The Dublin-born striker could have forged a successful career for himself in either Gaelic football, hurling or Australian Rules Football before electing for football.
Quinn joined Arsenal shortly after his 17th birthday and made a goalscoring debut in December 1985 against Liverpool.
The tall striker played 12 times that season before holding down a regular place in the 1986/87 campaign under new manager George Graham.
Quinn scored eight goals in 35 appearances as Arsenal finished fourth in Division One but struggled to hold down a regular place in the following two campaigns.
He did start in Arsenal's 1987 League Cup final success against Liverpool, however, and earned 13 caps for the Republic of Ireland during his seven years at Highbury.
Quinn left to join Manchester City for £700,000 in March 1990 with a goalscoring record of 20 goals in 81 starts.
The powerful striker enjoyed a successful six-year spell at Maine Road - but the best was yet to come.
Quinn joined Sunderland in August 1996 for a club record £1.3 million before going on to forge a successful strike partnership with Kevin Phillips and help cement the Black Cats' place in the Premier League.
Niall Quinn
