On Soccer AM...

Beattie: free agent

A former England international, a screen legend and a multi-platinum selling band all on the same sofa... It can only be Soccer AM!

It's back to the bread and butter of domestic action after the international break and boy have we got an fun-packed show for you.

As ever Helen and Max will be kicking things off in the studio and first up on the orange sofas will be James Beattie!

The former Southampton, Everton and Sheffield United star is taking a brief hiatus from the beautiful game after leaving SPL champions Rangers in the summer.

At just 33-years-of-age though, there's no doubt there's still plenty of goals left in the 6ft 1in striker.

Capped five times for his country, Beattie's most prolific season in the Premier League came at Southampton in the 2002-03 season, when he finished as the league's third top scorer with an impressive tally of 24.

In 2005 he joined Everton for £6 million, but despite finishing as the club's top marksman in the Toffees 2005-06 campaign, he failed to settle on Merseyside.

A move to Sheffield United reignited his career - scoring 34 times in just 62 appearances for the Blades - before a return to the top flight with Stoke.

Beattie finished last season on-loan at Ian Holloway's Blackpool but, a month into the new season, he now finds himself without a club.

We'll be finding out how his search is going and what he has been doing with all his spare time.

Phenomenon

Next down the tunnel will be Star Wars star Anthony Daniels!

Daniels played droid C-3PO in the sci-fi series and is the only actor to have appeared in all six films, as well as in a number of spin-offs.

The third highest-grossing film series of all-time, George Lucas' space opera has been a pop culture phenomenon. However, if Daniels had had his way he would never have been part of it!

Never a science-fiction fan, the 65-year-old cancelled his original audition for the film before eventually being persuaded by Lucas to take the role, and we bet he's been thanking his lucky stars ever since!

All six Star Wars films will be released on Blue-Ray from Monday, and Daniels will be telling Helen and Max what bonus features we can look forward to and what it was like conducting the London Symphony Orchestra in his C-3PO suit!

New direction

Completing this week's line-up and adding a musical flavour to proceedings will be Snow Patrol!

Hailing from Northern Ireland but now based in Scotland the band have sold over 10 million records worldwide.

Despite forming in 1994 it wasn't until 2003 when they released Final Straw, their fourth album, that they really hit the big time.

Since then they have gone from strength to strength with their much awaited sixth album taking the boys in a whole new direction.

Described as the 'next phase' in their musical journey, the electro and dance influences in 'Fallen Empires' is a big departure from the boys' tried and tested formula.

Their new single 'Calling Out in the Dark' was released last Sunday and Gary Lightbody and Tom Simpson will be telling us what prompted the change in direction, what their fans should expect, and what it was like trying to follow Dundee from LA where they've been recording!

And finally

That wraps up all our guests but as ever we've got all your favourite features too, and taking a seat in the Luther Blissett stand this week will be a set of Portsmouth fans who will have the company of not one, but TWO beautiful Soccerettes!

Plus, Pat will be back with more News, Frankie Fryer heads to Stoke in Away Days, Patrick Burger cooks up a storm in the car park, Redknapp or Blackmore returns and England legend Gordon Banks tells us why he loves football!

And that's not all, because Gillingham take on the Crossbar Challenge, Clint Dempsey takes us through his Top 3 Goals and Tubes heads to Wembley to meet Theo Walcott!!!

Soccer AM, 10am Saturday, Sky Sports HD2 and Sky 1 HD