Convert buttons to text - multiquote problem

[Spinball]

Hello,
I don't think I will have a problem replacing buttons with links which are stuled to look like buttons, but I am struggling with the Multiquote button.
This threadhttps://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?p=1604783#post1604783
offers an answer which doesn't work.

<a href="$post[replylink]" rel="nofollow" onclick="return false"><span style="color:<if condition="$show['multiquote_selected']">green<else />red</if>;" id="mq_$post[postid]">$vbphrase[multi_quote_this_message]"</span></a>

The javascript - wherever it is - doesn't want to work on the <span.

Any help appreciated.
Thanks