When hundreds of Bank of Ireland customers found their ATMs were behaving like slot mach­ines last Tuesday, it seemed King Eric's revolt had begun. Followers of the former footballer turned actor and latter-day sage had designated 7 December as the date to boot the global banking system into the middle of next week.

In France, unlike elsewhere, a suggestion to revolt tends to be acted upon enthusiastically. But last week, banks across Europe claimed there had been no significant withdrawals on 'Cantona day'. The man himself was filming near Albert, a small town in northern France, and had previously warned the local BNP Paribas bank that he intended to withdraw "a sum greater than €1,500". His lawyers said he did take out some money, but didn't specify how much.

The internet spread his call for a bloodless revolution two months ago when he referred to the sense of powerlessness felt by ordinary people. In the interview, which became a YouTube hit, he told a French newspaper: "If you want to talk about revolution, there is no point in taking up arms and killing people. There is something very simple that we can do. The system is based on the power of the banks. If 20 million people withdraw their money, the system collapses, no need for weapons, or blood or anything."

Voted Manchester United's player of the century in 2000, Cantona had a special talent for scoring crucial goals in key matches. He also had a level of hardness, like Roy Keane, that earned him grudging respect.

His bad-boy image followed him when he ended up in England in 1992, after falling foul of the French FA. He played initially for Leeds, then joined Man U the following season. But it was a match against Crystal Palace in 1995 that sealed his firebrand image. During his sending-off for spitting, he decided for good measure to deliver that infamous 'kung-fu' kick to heckling spectator Matthew Simmons .

Then there's that disregard for the UK media. After the kung-fu incident, his oft- quoted response to journalists was: "When the seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea" – many of the assembled hacks unaware they were the butt of the joke.

As a Frenchman, the 44- year-old Cantona's utterings are considered profound by fellow countrymen – especially last summer when he said the disgraced French World Cup team being sent home early was a blessing because if they "had stayed out there another week they would have ended up eating one another".

Not everyone welcomes his abstract analysis, though, and the cool, calm Christine Lagarde, French finance minister, recently commented that Cantona should "stick to" football.

Cantona's remarks are often viewed as inscrutable, but many can see the underlying simplicity of his assertion that customers do have the facility to exercise control over the banks – the ultimate sanction being withdrawing deposits. No doubt this Robespierre for the recession would like to see bonus-laden bank CEOs take an early shower. Ooh, aaah, Cantona…