Quinn: Sunderland stalwart (LaurenceGriffiths/Allsport)

The Republic of Ireland player's decision was announced to the crowd at Sunderland's home game against Spurs on Sunday.

Quinn began his career at Arsenal and later joined Manchester City before moving to Sunderland six years ago.

He had originally intended to wait for the results of a scan on his back before deciding whether or not to quit the game, but changed his mind last week and informed boss Howard Wilkinson of his decision.

Wilkinson has asked him not to sever his links with the club, and hopes he will carry out an ambassadorial role.

A club spokesman confirmed: 'Niall has decided the time has come to hang up his boots and retire as a player because of persistent injury problems. He will continue to have some links with Sunderland Football Club.'

Quinn will be remembered for the highly successful strike partnership he forged with Kevin Phillips, which helped the club into the Premiership and played a major part in two successive seventh-placed finishes.

He said: 'There have been some wonderful times and wonderful memories - and the luck I've had has been quite incredible.

'People got dropped and injured at the right times for me. Then I looked on the scrapheap, and great surgeons rebuilt me - but the Indian summer I had with Sunderland was something special.