DUG-OUT TO DANCE-OFF!
King’s Lynn boss Widdrington quicksteps it home to watch professional dancer son Kai on Strictly
EXCLUSIVE BY JOHN RICHARDSON
SATURDAYS for former Southampton midfielder Tommy Widdrington take on a different meaning at this time of year.
For not only does he have to look after the fortunes of National League North side King’s Lynn as their manager – but within a couple of hours he will be glued to a TV watching Strictly Come Dancing.
His appointment with the Norfolk club last December coincided with eldest son Kai, a professional dancer, reaching the final in the prestigious programme with TV personality AJ Odudu (dancing with Kai, right).
Sadly as favourites to wrest the
Glitterball trophy, AJ was forced to withdraw after damaging ankle ligaments and ending up on crutches.
Earlier in the competition proud dad Tommy had been spotted in the live TV audience and namechecked by co-host
Claudia Winkleman.
“I don’t know what’s more nerve-wracking, trying to win a football match or watching Kai and his partner,” Widdrington confessed.
“It was devastating for them having to pull out of the final.”
This year Kai is back alongside TV presenter Kaye Adams and even appeared on Loose Women last week revealing a few of their training tips.
“Once again it will be a case of hotfooting it to a TV somewhere hoping they do well,” his father added.
But first there was the FA Cup to negotiate,
Widdrington’s National League North table toppers yesterday crushing Kettering Town, who ended their unbeaten league record on Tuesday, 6-1 in the third qualifying round.
And completing a family affair, Widdrington’s youngest son Theo is part of the King’s Lynn squad having dropped down into the non-league after beginning a professional career at Portsmouth.
Kai also showed early promise as a footballer but it was Strictly Come Dancing rather than Match Of the Day which held his interest after deciding he wanted to be a dancer, originally inspired by the choreography of Michael Jackson.
He admits: “My childhood dream after watching the first-ever series of Strictly as a young boy was to become a professional dancer and to appear on the programme is unbelievable.”
There was still time, though, during filming the last series to visit Ewood Park, home of Blackburn
Rovers, with last year’s dance partner AJ Odudu, a huge Rovers fan.
Widdrington senior was spotted at the successful Wallsend Boys Club, which spawned talent like Alan Shearer, Michael Carrick, Steve Bruce and Peter Beardsley, and followed Shearer to Southampton.
Following a playing career which included spells at Grimsby Town, Port Vale and Hartlepool, he moved into management and coaching in non-League while also becoming director of football at Bristol Rovers.
A couple of weeks ago he was named National League North manager of the month after a quickstep start to the season.
Kai would have been impressed.