Sixteen Films makes shock bid for Eric Cantona as teams finalise FIFE rosters.

In shock transfer news, Sixteen Films has made an outrageous bid to secure former Manchester United star Eric Cantona for the annual Film Industry Five-a-side charity event at Millwall.

The bid was confirmed to Screen by team sources.

Cantona and his representatives were unavailable for comment but ‘The King’ and Sixteen are known to have close ties following their collaboration on 2009 drama Looking for Eric.

Sixteen Films manager Ken Loach wouldn’t be drawn on the potential transfer but told Screen: “We’ve got a highly skilled group of players to choose from. The scouts have been out, the reports are coming back in. It’s pre-season at the minute so it’s all to play for. There are a few tasty lads out there not to mention a very capable woman striker we have in the office.”

Loach, who described his managerial style as “more Mancini than Pulis but aspiring to be Brendan Rodgers”, is hoping to make it down to The Den for the May 11 season kick-off.

Failing the signing of Cantona, Sixteen will be falling back on the talents of Jimmy’s Hall star Barry Ward, a former semi-pro player in Ireland.

This year’s fixture list is starting to take shape with 18 teams already confirmed for the charity event, including last year’s champions Des Hamilton Casting, Martin and John Michael McDonagh’s Reprisal Films, Lionsgate, Sky, Disney, Double Negative, Entertainment One and 2012 runners up Screen International.

Previous deadline day signings for FIFE include Jude Law, Johnny Lee Miller, Chris Eccleston, David Harewood, Gael Garcia Bernal and Ralf Little.

The event has raised close to £500k for Action for Children, which supports neglected young people across the UK.

For more information visit http://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/get-involved/events/film-industry-football-event

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