AN EX-Wrexham footballer will be demonstrating he has not lost his quick feet when he makes a return to the town as an old school crooner and dancer.

Jim Whitley has been tapping out a unique career path since hanging up his boots at the Racecourse Ground after injury intervened in 2006.

The one-time midfielder has proved himself to be a talented singer and dancer with a passion for tap dancing, modelling himself on his heroes Gene Kelly and Sammy Davis Jr.

The Wrexham-born entertainer has spent the last eight years performing in shows like ‘Strictly Swing’ and ‘Rat Pack’, which pays homage to the Las Vegas-based entertainment troupe that included Frank Sinatra.

Now he takes centre stage with ‘Crooners’, a comedy musical with a big band swing and a nice touch in British one-liners, that goes on show at The Stiwt Theatre in Rhos next month.

“I never sang in the dressing room, but I’ve always had singing in me,” declared Jim. “Once I started to listen to Sinatra I found a real love for that type of music. I started to train my voice and it is a generation of music that never gets older with the likes of Michael Buble popularising it in recent times.

“I love doing tap dance and learnt the moves off YouTube. I love Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire and Sammy Davis Jnr, it’s very, very good stuff and I’ve always admired the flair and showmanship.

“It’s music from a time where men had style and charisma and could sing, dance and joke like the best of them.”

Jim’s repertoire in ‘Crooners’ sees him belt out more than 20 classics such as ‘Mr. Bojangles’, ‘Mack The Knife’ and ‘Beyond The Sea’ with the help of a big band sound from the Mini Big Band.

Among the highlights will be his extended Astaire-inspired tap routine.

Jim, 42, admitted: “It will be good to be back in Wrexham, although in slightly different circumstances.

“I really enjoy the work with the ‘Crooners’ – it is not too dissimilar to being on a football pitch in that you go out, and although it may be a smaller audience you have to put on a mask as if you were out there on the pitch.

“I loved football, but it is a results game and I knew managers who were sacked and coaches who were also sacked and I didn’t want to get into it.

“ I still look for the results and have done some BBC Radio football work. Football is still part of me, but it is not real life, this has opened my eyes up to different worlds.”

Jim says he will always be guaranteed an appreciative audience from two family members who never saw any of his football career, which spanned spells with Manchester City and over 150 appearances for his hometown club as well as international honours with Northern Ireland.

“My two kids, aged six and 13, love what I do and have really taken to ‘Crooners’, not just for the music, but the comedy as there is plenty of that in it,” added the performer, who first developed his artistic talent as a portrait painter.

“I have done stuff, lots for Robbie Savage, and I will keep doing the art work until my right arm can’t move any more,” he added.

l ’Crooners’ with Jim Whitley is on at The Stiwt Theatre on Saturday, March 10.

Tickets at stiwt.ticketsolve. com/shows/873584958