Brian Marwood is key to convincing Niall Quinn to quit Sunderland and return to Manchester City.

The People says Etihad football administrator Marwood had said they would search worldwide for a new executive chairman.

But they could find their man closer to home in Quinn, an ex-City favourite.

Marwood, born and bred along the coast at Seaham and a Sunderland fan as a boy, is aware of the situation.

He goes a long way back with Quinn as they were both at Arsenal together in the late 1980s and they have remained close friends.