A Canadian who knows nothing about football was plucked off the street to play a lead role in a soccer movie.

Patrick Micallef, who lives in Brighton and works in a mortgage call centre, was spotted by director Chris Cook as he left his office.

One screen test later, Patrick, from Seven Dials, had been cast in the independent film The Penalty King.

The movie was shot in and around Brighton for a fortnight and the director hopes it will be released next summer to coincide with Euro 2004.

Patrick, 43, said: "I was just leaving the office when I was stopped by Chris.

"He said he liked the way I looked and he offered me a screen test.

"I then did a day's shooting with Nick Bartlett, whose last film was Gangs Of New York.

"He said I could do it and I've just finished two weeks' filming.

"I kind of fell into one of the two main lead roles in the film. I'm alongside Clare Grogan, Steve Sweeney and Nick Bartlett. They're all stars in British cinema in their own right.

"It's pretty amazing when I think about it. I came back to the office this week and I'm scratching my head about what happened. I'm now back to staring at computers."

The movie, which is likely to include a cameo from Leeds United and England striker Alan Smith, centres on blinded football lover Lee Vaughan, played by Bartlett.

Patrick plays Charlie Howard, a colleague of Lee's who helps him play again.

Patrick said: "I don't play football. I'm from Toronto and the big sports in Canada are ice hockey and baseball.

"I think part of the thing Chris liked was that I was a North American who knows nothing about the game trying to teach a blind man to play football."

Patrick has experience of shooting short films with friends at film school but this was his debut on the other side of the camera.

As soon as he was cast, he dashed off for some acting tuition and he said Chris was pleased with his performance. He expects to do a couple more weeks' filming early next year.

Patrick has already gained one big fan - his daughter Eve Harris, ten.

He said: "My daughter came to the set with me one day. One of the make-up artists gave her a big fake gash on her head, which she enjoyed going to school with the next day.

"I also got a shirt signed for her by the cast and I was surprised when she said I had to add my name to it too."