SUNDERLAND football star Niall Quinn treated club backroom staff to a day at the races after they helped make his testimonial a success.
The 35-year-old player/coach sponsored three tables at Hexham Racecourse's first-ever Sunday national hunt meeting in aid of The Prince's Trust.
His action was a thank-you to 35 club workers for their efforts in helping stage his testimonial match against the Republic of Ireland in May.
The footballer, from Sedgefield, County Durham, won praise for donating the proceeds to children's charities in Sunderland, Dublin and Calcutta.
He said: "I wanted to thank members of staff at the Stadium of Light who did so much quiet, but vitally important, work for my testimonial and this seemed an ideal way to do it."
The player received The Prince's Trust Trophy at the recent North-East Football Awards for his "outstanding contribution to football'' last season.
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