Niall Quinn, John Giles and Liam Brady support Irish Professional Footballers Benevolent Association

Quinn will join Brady and Giles on stage at Vicar Street on Monday, April 28, filling in for the withdrawn Eamon Dunphy.

Niall Quinn feels a friendly between the Republic and Northern Ireland should be arranged to fundraise for the ex-players’ benevolent association. Pic: Brian McEvoy.

Niall Quinn feels a friendly between the Republic and Northern Ireland should be arranged to fundraise for the ex-players’ benevolent association.

The former Ireland striker will join fellow ex-internationals Liam Brady and John Giles on stage at Vicar Street on Monday, April 28, filling in for the withdrawn Eamon Dunphy.

Billed as Three Wise Men, the trio yesterday spoke passionately about the cause of generating monies for ex-League of Ireland players who’ve fallen on hard times due to a variety of personal and medical reasons.

Former Drogheda United manager and FAI training course coordinator Harry McCue confirmed €30,000 had been raised through its own initiatives and donations from the Irish football community, with €50,000 the new target through proceeds from this event.

Currently seeking charitable status, the fund is due to make its first payouts to players later this year but Quinn believes a marquee match is ideal to superpower the cause into six-figures.

He cited the 1973 exhibition match between an All-Island team and Brazil, organised as a means of solidarity during the turmoil of the troubles.

Despite the team having to be billed as Shamrock Rovers, due to objections from Belfast, 34,000 turned out at the old Lansdowne Road.

“We should try reenacting that sort of match, with the goal to sell out the Aviva for the benevolent fund,” contended former Arsenal and Manchester City forward Quinn.

“We can talk about the Ireland teams, their managers and the League of Ireland but if we forget about the people who kept the game strong when it was under attack from the Government, Catholic Church and GAA, then we’re at nothing.

“Being asked to get involved in this initiative was the easiest thing in the world to say yes to.” Effects of dementia on footballers is an ongoing issue in the UK.

Claimants including former Ireland international Joe Kinnear, whose first year anniversary was earlier this week, allege the defendants - IFAB, the Football Association, the English Football League, and the Football Association of Wales - were negligent in failing to take reasonable action to protect players from permanent injury caused by repetitive concussive and sub-concussive blows.

The Irish Professional Footballers Benevolent Association (IPFBA) are discovering similar cases domestically.

“When I used to watch LOI, players would have a job of their own,” explained Brady, conscious of his former Ireland colleagues and peers.

“They still had to do the training and matches, coming away with injuries. You are going to suffer when you get to 60, as I well know. That’s not just with hips and knees but the worst possible thing is dementia. We need to raise the profile of this association and to fundraise and help out players in need.”