He made his senior debut as a 19-year-old with the reserve team, Bilbao Athletic, in the Segunda División in October 1983 against Deportivo La Coruña, scoring his first goal in the same match.
Quintanilla's first season on the Costa del Sol was fairly successful, playing 26 times as Málaga reached the promotion playoffs despite economic difficulties; Txirri scored his penalty in the shootout against local rivals Cádiz, but the tie ended in defeat.
[1] Txirri was part of the Betis team which eliminated FC Barcelona from the Copa del Rey and achieved promotion,[1] but his involvement was curtailed due to injury, and after that single season he was allowed to leave by Krešić's replacement as manager, Lorenzo Serra Ferrer.
Txirri posted his best appearance figures for a decade (32 league starts, plus seven goals)[1] but his input could not prevent the club's immediate relegation, and he decided to retire from playing aged 33.
[6] When the dispute with his former employers was resolved in 2017, he took on a similar role with their neighbours Real Sociedad, as the club from San Sebastián sought to expand their recruitment knowledge in Biscay province.