Cantona: I would play for FC United

June 11, 2009

FC UNITED fans are in dreamland after reds legend Eric Cantona said that he would be prepared to play for the UniBond Premier Division side.

The king of Old Trafford repeated his fondness for the breakaway club, which is currently housed at Bury’s Gigg Lane ground, while publicising his film Looking For Eric in Manchester. And, coincidentally, FC now have a vacancy up front as striker Kyle Wilson has joined League Two outfit Macclesfield Town on a one-year deal.

Cantona said: "They (FC) have a great idea. I hope they will become a great club and win the European Cup in 50 years."

When asked whether he would be prepared to play for FC, the 43-year-old Frenchman gave his famous Gallic shrug and said: "Yes, why not?"

Andy Walsh, the general manager at FC, is thrilled at the prospect.

He said: "Eric Cantona was one of the best footballers ever to put on a football shirt, let alone a Man United one.

"It’s tremendous that he knows what FC United is all about and what we are trying to do. If he ever wanted to play for us, that would be great."

Cantona plays himself in Looking For Eric. The film touches upon the story of FC United and club bosses were involved in the project from the start, discussing ideas with writer Paul Laverty and director Ken Loach.

FC supporters even acted as extras.

Walsh added: "To have two people of such status as Eric Cantona and Ken Loach understand the issues of ordinary football fans and to support the club is to be cherished."

Meanwhile, Wilson has left FC just days after manager Karl Marginson nominated him for the Greater Manchester non-league player of the season award.

When putting the 22-year-old up for the award, Margy said: "It speaks volumes for Kyle that he missed the last three months of the season yet still ended up one of the UniBond Premier League’s top scorers with 24 goals.

"I shudder to think how many he’d have ended up with had he not been struck down by injury. But it wasn’t just his goals that made him stand out. His general play was also fantastic.

"It was a blow to us to lose him when we did and Kyle’s injury came at a time when a lot of Coca Cola league clubs were showing an interest in him."

Macc stepped up their interest in Wilson this week and the player, who has now recovered from the knee operation which sidelined him last season, could not turn down the offer of a full-time contract at a professional club.

Any FC fans who wish to vote for Wilson to win the Greater Manchester award should send an e-mail to: sport@men-news.co.uk detailing why they think he is a worthy winner in 100 words or less. By doing so they have the chance of sharing £500 with the player, providing that he wins. But they must be available for the player of the year presentation.