SUNDERLAND crowd favourite Niall Quinn needs a full house at the Stadium of Light tonight to fulfil his dream of raising £1m for children's hospital charities.

The 35-year-old striker has toiled tirelessly to make his tribute game against the Republic of Ireland a huge success and has seen over 30,000 tickets sold in advance. But he revealed: "We have to have a full house of 48,000 to reach the £1m mark and I'm hoping that fans will pay on the night to make the match the success I want it to be."

Quinn has been overwhelmed with the response from fans, who have flocked to support his decision to give everything from the friendly match to hospitals in Sunderland and Dublin.

He admitted: "It has been incredible - beyond anything I could have expected.

"Nothing in my life has touched me like this. I was very embarrassed at the start because I thought some people might think I was showing off and doing it for the wrong reasons.

"But everyone supported it straight away and the response has been colossal.

"As it got harder and I had to do various things for the promotion something brilliant would happen and no matter how tired I was feeling it would kick things back into life again and I would have another go. It's been remarkable and I've had great support from the public relations girls at the club."

Quinn is hoping to play at least 20 minutes for each team.

He said: "I want to wear both jerseys for different reasons - I have played for Ireland for 16 years and have had fantastic times, while Sunderland have given me a career here after arriving at 30 years of age with a crocked leg.

"But they have stayed loyal to me - I can't really understand that to be honest and it is a great opportunity to thank them."

Quinn explained: "It's up to individuals but I just thought this was a nice opportunity.

"Football has been unbelievably good to me and it has been well documented that I've had a brilliant life in the game.

"I have had an unbelievable time and it's been that good I have been giddy with it since I was 16 or 17 years of age. I still live in a dream now and it is only right that I put this back in."

It will be an emotional night for Quinn, with nearly 6,000 fans expected to make the trip from Ireland before Mick McCarthy's team depart for the World Cup in the Far East.

But the big Dubliner stressed that the game at the Stadium of Light won't be his farewell appearance.

He said: "I have got to go to the World Cup really positive because I could be needed out there.

"I think Mick McCarthy has included me in the squad because things might not work out with his first choice strikers and we might need a more physical plan - he might have to go more direct if we go a goal down in games.

"I've got to be spot on for him and talking about retirement now is not the best way to do that.

"I think I am still very much a professional player and I think I will have a chat with Peter Reid when I come back."

Quinn is thrilled by the prospect of travelling to Japan and South Korea and he admitted: "In many ways it's ridiculous. When I tell people I have been lucky I really have - I've been really fortunate.

"To be around just when the good times started with Ireland and to be one of the few to have managed to stay through it all I just feel very honoured.

"There's a buzz back in Ireland now that hasn't been there since we last qualified in 1994.

"It's just wonderful that the whole country gets a lift - Ireland will close down. There will be no work done there for the whole World Cup.

"In England people are talking about taking a few hours off - but in Ireland the factories won't even attempt to stay open."

Quinn emphasised that Ireland will treat tomorrow's friendly very much as a build-up match to the tournament.

He said: "It will be a very emotional night. I never ever thought I would get to this stage, but it has come and it's arrived and everyone is getting behind it.

"Raising the £1m has become something of an obsession with me but it will be possible with a full house because every penny will be going to charity."

* The only two Sunderland players missing will be goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen and midfielder Claudio Reyna, who have to link up with the Danish and United States World Cup squads. But £4.5 Brazilian central defender Emerson Thome and Argentinian winger Julio Arca are expected to play after recovering from long term injuries.

Ireland will be parading their full World Cup squad.

* Quinn last night announced he has registered a new charity - the Niall Quinn Children's Charity to receive the funds from tonight's match.

The new charity will receive all proceeds from the match and distribute them direct to Quinn's chosen charities, Sunderland Royal Hospital, Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children Crumlin and GOAL.

Charity status ensures that ticket sales are not subject to VAT.

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