Hendon FC star's football carnival

4:15pm Tuesday 19th June 2001

While many footballers jet out to Benidorm for their summer holiday, one Hendon FC player got to mix with the likes of soccer legends Eric Cantona and Ronaldo in Rio de Janeiro.

Phil Gridelet, 33, of Watford Way, has been busy filming British football movie Mike Bassett For England Manager, which entailed two weeks in the Brazilian city playing football nice work if you can get it.

"I was filming with Cantona, Ronaldo, Jurgen Klinsmann, but the stars of the show were Ricky Tomlinson [The Royle Family] and comedian Bradley Walsh," said a tanned and relaxed Phil.

"I support Manchester United, and the opportunity to star alongside Cantona was like a dream. He says football is his first love.

"Rio is like anywhere. It was quite dangerous after dark. It was a great experience."

The former Barnet FC player reflected on the Underhill club's descent into non-league football.

"I didn't expect Barnet to go down," he admitted. "I thought they had done enough to stay up. We [Hendon] were playing Dulwich at the time, and there was someone saying it was 1-0, then 2-0, then 3-0.

"I had lump in my throat when I heard they had been relegated. It is the only club in the area, and it needs to become a family club again."

Phil Gridelet will be one of the professional coaches running a summer soccer school at Woodfield Park in Cool Oak Lane, West Hendon, in August, offering professional training from qualified FA and UEFA 'B' coaches.

Call 020 8906 3795 for more details.