I was in Southampton’s academy but quit to dance professionally – Manchester United star got contract ahead of me
Kai Widdrington says his father Tommy was the 'most supportive' dad when he chose to leave football behind for professional dancing.
Tommy Widdrington, originally from Newcastle, broke through Southampton's academy in the early 1990s, going on to make 87 appearances before a career in the Football League and Non-League ending in 2010.
The year before he left the Saints for Grimsby in 1996, Widdrington had son Kai, who also went on to play football, with his younger brother Theo following suit.
But whilst Tommy remains in football as Aldershot Town manager and Theo plays for the Shots, Kai chose a totally different path, swapping pitches for dance floors.
After being inspired by the iconic BBC show Strictly Come Dancing as a seven year old, Widdrington's first son fell in love with the sport and went on to pursue a career in it.
Joining talkSPORT'S Hawksbee and Jacobs show, the 28-year-old was asked how he approached telling his dad he didn't want to be a footballer anymore.
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"That was the best thing that happened to me you know," he said. "I always use the analogy of Billy Elliot, I mean my dad's from the North East right and I'm telling my dad at 12 years old...
"I got a contract offer from Southampton to be a left-back and I'm a right-footed left-back so I could play with both feet.
"So I was half decent right and I was quite quick and I turned it down to dance with the British champion. Baring in mind at this time I wasn't very good, but apparently she fancied me right.
"So I was like 'yeah go on then!'"
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But unlike fictional boxer-turned-dancer Billy Elliot's disapproving dad, Tommy was fully supportive of his son focusing on dancing.
"The tipping point for me was Sunday football was obviously on a Sunday and [dancing] competitions were on a Sunday. So I had to choose basically and I just loved dancing that little bit more.
"The conversation I had with my old man was like 'listen Dad, I just love dancing that little bit more' and to be fair to him, I was never worried to tell him. That's how I knew it was going to be ok.
"You know, during the week where he'd be training with Salisbury or wherever else he was, he would drive me two hours to have an hours lesson then drive me back, he was the most supportive dad.
"He was and wasn't the Billy Elliot dad!"
Widdrington has gone on to star in Strictly himself, as well as Dancing With The Stars and Britain's Got Talent and has won numerous titles, including being crowned as Junior World Latin American champion in 2010.
Now, he's preparing to tour with his partner Nadiya Bychkova this summer.
But despite having a career as a professional dancer, Widdrington still loves his football and remains a Saints fan.
He's clearly still passionate about the sport, too, joking in an interview with the Daily Mail that he might rock up to his tour in a Saints shirt.
One star that Widdrington played alongside during his days in Southampton's academy was Manchester United and England star Luke Shaw - and he has a funny anecdote about his fellow left-back who stayed at St Mary's after he left.
"I remember rainbow flicking Luke Shaw once in training," he told the Daily Mail.
"I’d never done that in my life, I was on trial wearing blades on an astroturf and getting rinsed, so I rainbow flicked.
"He’s probably not bothered now on quarter of a million pounds a week at Man United!"
Meanwhile, dad Tommy added: "Tommy said: “Kai has no regrets about football. He is Premier League in terms of what he is doing.
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"He was world champion at 14 in Latin American dancing. He could have signed for Saints when we moved to the 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.'"