STRICTLY FAMILY
Tommy’s son-shine boys
TOMMY WIDDRINGTON plans to quickstep to FA Cup glory with the help of his sons – Strictly dancer Kai and midfielder Theo.
The Geordie boss, who joined Southampton as a schoolboy with Alan Shearer, has revived National League North outfit King’s Lynn since taking charge 11 months ago.
After defeating League Two Doncaster in the first round, the non-leaguers face Stevenage today.
Popular BBC Strictly Come Dancing professional star Kai will be there cheering and brother Theo will be bossing the midfield.
It will be a proud family day for Widdrington, veteran of 375 games as a player with Saints, Grimsby, Port Vale, Hartlepool and Salisbury.
He said: “Theo has been pivotal. He brought a skill set others didn’t have. He is better technically than I was but has a bit of devil. He has seven goals from midfield.”
So did Strictly’s Kai not fancy being a player too? Well, there’s a tale there involving England’s World Cup left-back Luke Shaw.
Tommy said: “Kai has no regrets about football. He is Premier League in terms of what he is doing.
“He was world champion at 14 in Latin American dancing. He could have signed for Saints when we moved south. The bloke who was left-back at the time was Luke Shaw!
“I remember them saying to me when he went on trial, ‘I am not sure he is better than the one we have got (Shaw) but we will keep him.’
“Kai said, ‘I’d rather do the dancing and be the main one of the stage all dressed up and I get to choose which girl I go out with!’ I said fair enough!
“He has been round the world on cruise ships and got involved with Brendan Cole and his tour and Dancing With Stars in Ireland. Then Strictly came knocking.”
Widdrington has managed at Salisbury, Eastbourne and led recruitment at Coventry and Bristol Rovers at director level.
He follows his childhood team Newcastle from afar and knows Eddie Howe and his No.2 Jason Tindall, “a warrior” who he signed as a player.
He added: “I saw a stat the other day, points accrued in the calendar year, and the BBC asked had anyone done better than Newcastle?
‘‘We have, obviously at a different level! We got 28 points at the end of last season in 17 games, then 35 so far this season. We are right up there.
“The day I walked in, on December 10 last year, my first game there was 400-odd in the crowd. We have sold 3,000 tickets so far for Stevenage and it will be nearer 4,000 on the day.”