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Niall Quinn has recalled how close he came to a lucrative Aussie Rules career just weeks before Arsenal move

The former Ireland striker was speaking on RT Radio ahead of Mayo star Kobe McDonalds move to Australia.

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Niall Quinn playing for Arsenal in the FA Cup against Reading(Image: Allan Olley/Mirrorpix/Getty Images)

If it wasnt for a postal strike in Dublin in 1983, Niall Quinn might have been a star of Aussie Rules instead of Irelands glory days under Jack Charlton and Mick McCarthy.

The former Boys in Green striker was speaking on RT Radios Saturday Sport ahead of Mayo star Kobe McDonalds move to Aussie Rules side St Kildas.

He revealed how close he came to a move Down Under - and how the late Jim Stynes ended up going in his place.

I was gone three days (to Arsenal) when there was a knock on my door, he recalled.

The chairman of Melbourne called on my mothers door to ask why we hadnt answered the letter of contract that Melbourne had sent to me, but we hadnt got it. There had been a postal strike.

The good news for Melbourne was that he then went straight up to Jim Stynes house and gave my contract to Jim Stynes.

You cant even begin to understand here in Ireland the impact that he had on the game out there.

Can you imagine a sportsman coming over and playing sports here, tragically passing away so young and getting a state funeral? That, I think, will tell you the impact Jim Stynes had.

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Jim Stynes and Garry Lyon(Image: Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

Quinn, speaking to the Irish Daily Star in 2023, delved deeper into how his Aussie Rules opportunity came about - and how he could have earned much more in Melbourne than on his initial Arsenal contract.

He ended up winning 92 senior caps for Ireland, and played starring roles in the 1990 and 2002 World Cups.

There was a postal strike and I went off to Arsenal for a trial, he told the Star. When I came back, accepted to Arsenal on 50 quid a week or whatever it was, a letter eventually arrived from Australia offering me 400 quid a week and free education, a free apartment, free everything. But I went to Arsenal.

Quinn had travelled to Melbourne in 1983 with an Irish under-18 team to play a series of Aussie Rules matches.

I was there for five weeks, he said. I enjoyed it. We played full rules, it wasnt a mixture.

I was captain of the Dublin Colleges, it was a trip of a lifetime for a young kid in Dublin in 83.

We practiced every Saturday morning at eight oclock in Artane with the oval ball. We were given one to bring home and practice with during the week. In the end I was spinning it on my finger and everything.

Id be watching TV with an Aussie Rules ball in my hand for about a year before we went.

26 of us went off to Australia and we got hockeyed in the first few matches, but we got our act together and we finished strong.

The one big game was against Melbourne Under-18s. We were under-18, even though I was 16.

We drew with them in the Melbourne Cricket Ground. We knew wed arrived at that stage. That was it, though, I came home and we had the hurling minor final to look after.

Two days before the trip to Australia I played in the Leinster final and after the trip, because there was no semi-final, Antrim couldnt put a team in because of the Troubles, we went straight to the All-Ireland final.

Then on the Thursday week I went on trial with Arsenal, having not played a soccer match since May.

That was the third week in September. I ended up getting a three-year contract.

My last soccer match was a Leinster Colleges final in Shels ground, Tolka Park. It would have been the end of May. Then I went hurling, Australia, hurling, Arsenal trial, and came back with a three-year contract.

Jim Stynes ended up getting the (Aussie Rules) contract I was offered. And what a legend he became. Ive no regrets.

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