Paul Quinn

Football player infobox
playername = Paul Quinn


fullname = Paul Charles Quinn
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1985|7|21
cityofbirth = Wishaw
countryofbirth = Scotland
height = height|m=1.83
currentclub = Motherwell
clubnumber = 2
position = Defender
years = 2002-
clubs = Motherwell
caps(goals) = 131 (4)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
pcupdate = 16 June 2008
ntupdate =

Paul Quinn (born 21 July 1985, Wishaw, North Lanarkshire) is a Scottish footballer currently playing for Scottish Premier League side Motherwell.

Quinn is a centre-back by trade, but more often seen playing at right back or wing-back and has came through the youth ranks at Fir Park. He signed a professional contract with the club on the 12 May 2002 when he was 17 years old.

In season 2002-2003 he made his first professional appearance for the club, replacing Brian Dempsie as a substitute during the SPL game against Celtic on December 1, 2002 . He did not feature regularly but in following seasons he proved his worth and also his versatility, by starting 27 and 26 games in all competitions during the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 seasons respectively, filling a number of different positions in the Motherwell defence.

During the 2005-2006 season he was restricted to 21 games in all competitions. In the following seasons he established himself as a first team player and at the beginning of the 2007-2008 season he was a first choice in the Motherwell defence, displacing Martyn Corrigan at right back/wing-back. Such has been the quality of his performances and the general improvement in his game under Mark McGhee that Corrigan was limited to one starting performance during the first half of the 2007-08 season and left to seek first-team football at Kilmarnock.

On 11 January, 2008, it was announced that Quinn would assume the role of club captain, succeeding Phil O'Donnell and at the age of 22, becoming one of the youngest captains in the history of the club. [http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10292~1211993,00.html] It had been widely thought that vice-captain Stephen Craigan would be promoted to the position of club captain, but it was announced that he would continue in his existing role. Comparisons have already been drawn with another young full-back who also captained the team and went on to have a highly successful career, Tom Boyd.

Quinn scored his first goal for Motherwell during the SPL match against Kilmarnock on February 21, 2004. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/3505197.stm] His next goal for the club followed almost 4 years later when he scored against Aberdeen during an SPL match September 15, 2007. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/6988271.stm] Afterwards he revealed that he had been the butt of his teammates jokes after admitting his lengthy time without scoring to his new manager Mark McGhee [http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10292~1113493,00.html] , but since then has scored twice against Rangers with one goal in the Scottish League Cup [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/7068987.stm] and one in the SPL [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/7158986.stm] , unfortunately finishing on the losing side both times.

Personal life

On the 27 April 2008 Quinn was rushed to hospital with a broken jaw after an unprovoked attack outside the notorious Baker Street establishment in Wishaw. He has been ruled out for the rest of the season with the club still pushing for 3rd place in the Scottish Premier League [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/motherwell/7371002.stm] .

In May 2008, Quinn was convicted of Assault stemming from an incident at a teammates birthday celebration. Sentencing was deferred until July 2008 for background reports. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7399255.stm]

In June 2008 Quinn and his girlfriend were robbed at gunpoint whilst holidaying in Florida,USA. The couple had been returning to their hotel when the incident took place. [http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10292~1324331,00.html]

External links

*soccerbase|id=31667|name=Paul Quinn