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Wright Robinson looking for Eric
Two students at Manchester’s Wright Robinson College, have had a taste of stardom after being chosen to appear alongside the Manchester United icon, Eric Cantona, in Ken Loach’s film Looking for Eric.
Ryan Johnson and Connor Fannon, two year 9 pupils from Wright Robinson College, were chosen by Ken, famously a non-league football fan, to star in the film after their team mate Thomas Turton signed-up as an extra at an FC United match in Bury. Thomas was then contacted and asked to bring three team mates to audition for a screen test. Once they were chosen they appear in a scene playing football on a street in Hulme while Eric stands on an overlooking balcony playing a trumpet.
Ryan and Connor both play for the Gorton-based junior football team, Delamere Rangers FC, as well as the Wright Robinson College under 14 team, train at the College’s state of the art pitches every Tuesday evening and occasionally play league matches there.
Ryan Johnson, a year 9 student at Wright Robinson College, said:
“The film’s definitely sparked my interest in drama. It was a great experience. Ken asked us to play football against a car and we had to do this about four or five times before he got the right shots.”
Connor Fannon, a year 9 student at Wright Robinson College, said:
“We had a really exciting day. It was great fun on the film set. It was amazing to meet Eric Cantona and eat lunch at the same table as him.”
Lee Rattigan, the Delamere Rangers FC coach, said:
“It’s great that three of my team feature in this film. I hope it encourages more school children to get outside and play sport. I think it’s important for pupils to get involved with local sports teams as physical activity is good for mental and physical wellbeing and often helps pupils perform better in class.”
The film, which two month’s ago competed at the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, stars Eric Cantona and was filmed around Manchester. It tells the story of a football-loving postman who struggles with family problems and is given advice by his hero Eric Cantona.
Wright Robinson, whose alumni includes premiership footballer Nicky Butt, is a specialist sport and arts college for 11–16 year olds based in Gorton, Manchester. With 1,800 pupils, the £43 million site is the most expensive state school ever built in Europe.
The College’s state of the art sports facilities have been described by Ofsted as ‘outstanding’. These include a 25m swimming pool, three third generation rubber scrum pitches, a double sports hall, a single sports hall, fitness suite, dance studio, a weights room and numerous tennis and football pitches.