Hull City: 2012 Sheffield United agreement is extremely underrated at the MKM Stadium: View | OneFootball

Quinn became an underrated figure at the MKM through his combative performances

The summer of 2012 is one which set the wheels in motion for Hull City's most-historic period.

In June of that year, Steve Bruce would be appointed as the latest man in the MKM Stadium hotseat following Nick Barmby's controversial departure, and the former Sunderland boss would set about moulding a side full of workhorses and sufficient quality to mount a promotion bid at the first time of asking.

Numerous additions from this period such as Abdoulaye Faye, Ahmed Elmohamady, David Meyler and Robbie Brady among others, would go on to play pivotal roles in aiding the club's eventual promotion from the Championship and beyond.

However, there is one particular agreement from Deadline Day in the summer of that year with one of City's Yorkshire rivals, that to an extent, is still extremely underrated in East Yorkshire.

Stephen Quinn's "bargain" move from Sheffield United to Hull City

That came in the form of yet another Irishman, as Stephen Quinn swapped South Yorkshire for East on 31st August 2012, joining from then-League One side Sheffield United.

The combative, yet creative midfielder became part of the furniture at Bramall Lane over an extended period of time, making over 200 appearances for the Blades, which saw them plummet from the Premier League to League One in just four years.

During that timeframe, Quinn still managed to accumulate 22 goals, win the club's Player of the Year award in 2011 and feature in the third tier's PFA Team of the Year in 2011/12, after racking up a league-high of 14 assists as United lost out on a return to the Championship, being defeated by Huddersfield Town on penalties in the Play-Off Final.

However, the way in which the Dublin-born man was acquired by Bruce on the final day of the summer window was rightfully described by the Tigers boss as a bargain move, with Hull paying no upfront fee, instead paying their Yorkshire counterparts £2,000 per game, which had the potential for figures to reach £100,000.

“I believe we have got a real bargain. Stephen has been a breath of fresh air," Bruce told the Yorkshire Post ahead of a 1-0 win over Barnsley in November 2012, after Quinn had already made his first ten appearances for the club, which included a goal and assist on debut against Bolton Wanderers, before also finding the net against Blackpool in a 3-2 defeat.

“The way he goes out and plays and gets on with it, he has been a terrific signing."

Stephen Quinn's contributions went under the radar in Hull City's success

Hull struggled to find a potent goalscorer despite their eventual final-day promotion, with Robert Koren ending as the top scorer with nine, as the Slovenian alongside Sone Aluko and Matty Fryatt, suffered various injury problems across the season.

Quinn was directly involved in nine of City's 61 league goals that campaign, with his one further strike coming as a crucial second-half effort away to Burnley in mid-March 2013, securing three invaluable points at Turf Moor, as well as chipping in with six assists - the last of those providing Nick Proschwitz with a rare moment of glory in the promotion-clinching drama against Cardiff City.

The midfielder then eventually gained international recognition, winning the first of 18 caps for the Republic of Ireland on June 2nd 2013 in a 4-0 victory over Georgia, before heading back to Hull for the club's third-ever season as a top-flight side.

Despite his influence the previous campaign, Quinn only made 15 Premier League appearances, partly as a result of sustaining a hamstring problem in November 2013, but still continued to feature as a regular 7/10 performer when called upon, as well as featuring in all of Hull's seven FA Cup encounters, which saw them reach a first-ever final against Arsenal.

The Irishman was also responsible for breaking the hearts of his former side in the Semi-Final, as shortly after Tom Huddlestone gave the top-flight side the lead for the first time against Nigel Clough's side, Quinn entered the fray on 64 minutes, before nodding home a teasing Jake Livermore cross three minutes later, making it 4-2, before City held on to emerge 5-3 victors.

Quinn then played 75 of the 120 minutes against Arsène Wenger's side in the dramatic 3-2 defeat a month later, before being replaced by Sone Aluko.

Stephen Quinn's final year as a Hull City player

Despite the fact Hull spent an estimated £40.5m assembling a squad to progress up the table after a record finish of 16th the previous campaign, Quinn actually saw his gametime increase by 13 Premier League outings in what would prove to be his final season at the club.

The St Pat's Athletic academy graduate failed to make an appearance in City's short-lived UEFA Europa League qualifying campaign - being dumped out by Belgian outfit KSC Lokeren - before eventually being relegated at the end of the season alongside Burnley and Queens Park Rangers.

All three of the midfielder's assists would come in the opening weeks of the season against the aforementioned R's, Aston Villa and Newcastle United, before registering his solitary Premier League goal for the club in a 3-1 home defeat against Arsenal in May 2015 with a neat header from close range.

Throughout the season, it seemed as if Quinn would put pen-to-paper on a contract extension, but unfortunately from his point of view, it would never materialise.

The last two and a half years have been a success and I feel like I've contributed well to the cause and to a successful period," he said via the Irish Independent, which also claimed that his eventual transfer fee amounted to just £50,000.

"I was happy when the club came to me and talked about a new deal and hopefully I can get it over the line now."

However, his final appearance in Black and Amber would come in a goalless draw at home to Manchester United, which condemned Hull back to the Championship, with Quinn and his Irish counterpart Paul McShane opting to join Reading in the summer of 2015, before going on to feature for Burton Albion and Mansfield Town.

After a record of 97 games, five goals and nine assists, it feels as if the experienced midfielder's contribution to City's success in the early-to-mid 2010's is still somewhat underrated.