1 week Ago By Owen Cowzer
NIALL QUINN has called for an all-island match to be arranged to raise funds for former players.Ex-Ireland striker Quinn yesterday helped promote the ‘Three Wise Men’ event in Vicar Street on April 28 in support of the Irish Professional Footballers Benevolent Association.Quinn would love to see a match from 1974 replicated in order to fundraise@RTELateLateShowJohn Giles and Liam Brady similarly promoted it by appearing on The Late Late Show[/caption]Quinn will join Liam Brady and John Giles on stage, with all proceeds going to a fund to support former League of Ireland players.
But Quinn would like to see a big game held to support the same cause, citing the 1974 meeting of an all-island team and Brazil in aid of Unicef and the Irish Cancer Society.He said: “The Republic of Ireland should be playing Northern Ireland in a game for us, to re-enact what happened.“John Giles took part in an amazing game 50 years ago when Ireland and Northern Ireland joined together.
“We can talk about the Ireland team, the manager, the League of Ireland, it’s great.“But if we forget about the people who kept the game strong when it was under attack from the Government, the church, you name it, the GAA . .
. “It’s time to pay back the people who kept football going. “Being asked to get involved was the easiest thing in the world to say yes to.
”IPFBA chairperson Harry McCue said that the group, who receive a percentage of FAI Cup final gate receipts, have a number of hardship cases they have earmarked to support from the Vicar Street show proceeds.He said: “Most of them are hardship, most are in full-time care — and all are ex-players.”.
