READING FC legend Jimmy Quinn is putting his prized memorabilia up for sale – including his cherished Golden Boot, writes Anthony Smith.

The ex-Royals striker and assistant manager is now working as a lorry driver and living in Crewe.

Quinn is one of Reading’s most successful players of all time after netting 94 goals in 216 appearances between 1992-1997.

He shot to prominence in the 1993-94 season when he scored a staggering 40 times to help Reading win the title in the old Division Two, now League One.

As a result he won the Football League’s Golden Boot, an award from the professional Footballers’ Association and was named Northern Ireland’s Player of the Year.

It is Quinn’s cherished Golden Boot which is currently up for sale, along with one of his Northern Ireland shirts from the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

The Chronicle believes Reading FC were offered the chance to buy Quinn's Golden Boot, but politely declined.

That could now send Royals fans and collectors into a bidding war for the rare sporting items.

Quinn said: “I have already sold a great many of my shirts and medals, some of which will be on display at Reading soon.

“But the two most interesting items are yet to sell as there isn’t an auction, so perhaps genuine collectors will show interest.”

Quinn, who turns 56 in November, added: “I am happy for collectors to have the items and look after them as no-one can take away the memories.”

Belfast-born Quinn, who recently remarried, enjoyed a distinguished 18-year playing career and his other former clubs include Swindon Town, Blackburn Rovers, Leicester City, West Ham, Bournemouth and Peterborough.

His impressive domestic career stats total 297 goals in 789 appearances in all competitions.

His also netted 12 times in 46 games for Northern Ireland during an 11-year international career which included the goal that sent his country to the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

Quinn was Reading's most capped international player for a number of years, until that honour was taken by another of the club's talismanic strikers, Republic of Ireland's Kevin Doyle.

Quinn also had a short stint as Reading’s joint player-boss alongside Mick Gooding in 1994-95, the year Royals missed out on promotion to the Premier League when they lost to Bolton in the play-off final at Wembley.

He then went on to manage Swindon Town, Northwich Victoria, Shrewsbury Town, Norwegian side Egersunds, Cambridge United, Bournemouth and finally Nantwich Town, which he left in 2013 before becoming a lorry driver.

Quinn’s memorabilia, including his encased Golden Boot, is being sold though Alec Bohannan of Sporting Times Past with an estimate of between £4,000-£5,000.

His 1986 World Cup Northern Ireland shirt is valued at around £800-£1,000.

Bohannan said: “I just want to help a football legend out.

"Back they didn’t earn the money they do now and Jimmy is a true gentleman of football and would help anyone.”

  • READING FC Former Players Association are staging 'An Evening with Jimmy Quinn and Mick Gooding' at Tilehurst Royal British Legion on  October 15 (7.30pm start). Tickets are £20 from www.readingfcformerplayers.co.uk