WEALDSTONE keeper Sean Thomas’ shaggy hairdo has led to comparison with Ken Dodd – but there’s still no chance he’ll visit the barbers ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup tie with League Two Rotherham.
The young shot stopper began growing the curly mop shortly after the Stones embarked on their long unbeaten run, which now stretches back 17 matches following Tuesday’s FA Trophy replay win over archrivals Harrow.
The unruly state of his ‘barnet’ saw him pictured in a recent Stones programme alongside veteran comedian Dodd (now 81), as part of their ‘look-alikes’ series.
Not surprisingly, the 22-year-old, who’d never heard of Dodd, has copped a fair amount of stick from his team-mates as a result of the mug shots.
But there’s no danger of the former QPR academy keeper turning for the game of his life with a freshly cropped short back and sides.
He said: "I’d never heard of Ken Dodd, but granddad has pulled out the old VHS videos and showed me who he is.
"I’ve said I won’t get my hair cut until we lose a game. I said that to a few fans some weeks ago and didn’t expect it to go on for so long really.
"I’m a superstitious person by nature. I have a set routine before a game. I always put my left boot on first and always touch the crossbar before the match starts.
"Hopefully the barber won’t see me before Christmas. "
While Gordon Bartlett’s men start as underdogs, Thomas knows Rotherham won’t be relishing the trip south.
The men from the Don Valley Stadium haven’t won a tie in the famous old trophy since 2002, a record which includes defeat in a first round replay to non league Forest Green in 2007-8.
They are also not in the best of form, having only won one game in six since former boss Mark Robins departed for Barnsley.
Thomas added: "We’ve got to cash in on what is there worst nightmare – getting a non-league club away from home when you haven’t won a tie since 2002.
"The pressure is all on them because we can just go out there and enjoy the day. We are quietly confident we can cause an upset."
