Career
Opinel, who is a cousin of Eric Cantona, began his career with French clubs Cannes, Lille and Ajaccio before joining Scottish club Raith Rovers in December 1999, where he made over 20 league and cup appearances. He was released by Rovers in December 2000 by mutual consent after a series of on and off-the-field problems. After training with Third Division club, Plymouth Argyle, Opinel was given a short-term contract so that manager Paul Sturrock could take a closer look him over the 2000 Christmas and New Year period.
He made only one appearance for Plymouth in a Football League Trophy tie against Bristol Rovers and was not offered a contract.
After a trial at Bournemouth, he joined Leyton Orient in February 2001, where he made eleven appearances in the remainder of the 2000-2001 season and helped Orient towards the Third Division play-offs in May 2001. Opinel then dropped into non-league football, joining Billericay Town at the beginning of the 2001-2002 season.
He joined Farnborough Town in July 2003, signing a two-year contract in May 2004, but requested a transfer for personal and professional reasons and joined Crawley Town in January 2005 in a deal that saw Farnborough receive a substantial transfer fee as well as Robert Traynor move from Crawley to Farnborough. Opinel had started over 50 games for Farnborough.
Opinel agreed a contract until May 2006 with Crawley and in July 2006, he joined Gravesend & Northfleet (now Ebbsfleet United).
On 4 June 2009, Opinel re-joined Farnborough.
