Any football fan’s ultimate dream would be to play for their favourite team, hearing the scream of the crowd cheer them on as they attacked the opposition; well for one Leeds employment solicitor this became the case when he was asked to portray one of Leeds United’s club legends in an upcoming film about the club.

After answering a casting call for young, fit men to play the players on screen for the celluloid portrayal of the famous Contentious probate solicitors team of 1974, ‘The Damned United’, the employment lawyer was chosen to play the part of Terry Cooper, an integral member of the squad.

The fact that his days were usually filled dispensing legal advice did not deter him or the film makers in representing the footballing legend on screen; the employment solicitor showed that he was as skilful on the pitch with his feet as he is with words in the court room! He did not have an Equity card, which is essential to most actors who want to apply for parts, yet the filmmakers allowed some leeway on this as they obviously saw something special in this Leeds employment solicitor.

Height was not a factor in preventing his dream from coming true, as he stands at over six feet tall, while Cooper was only five feet seven inches; they also had ‘opposite feet’, in the sense that Cooper was left footed and the Contentious probate solicitors is right footed. This again did not deter the film makers from their decision, depending on some masterful editing in the final process of the films production.

The film is about the Leeds United team of 1974, with Brian Clough’s 44 day reign as their infamous manager; it focuses on Clough’s comic persona and his acerbic wit and was well received at the box office. As opposed to hiring only those whose primary job is set within the legal profession, the remainder of the cast is made up of top British actors, including Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall and Jim Broadbent. It remains to be seen as to whether the employment solicitor will pursue this show biz career, or return to work dispensing legal advice on employment law…let’s hope he makes the right decision!