England fans rejoiced on Wednesday night when 19-year old Arsenal winger Theo Walcott made his England debut in style with a fantastic hat-trick. Wearing the lucky no.7 shirt that was once synonymous with Beckham, Theo had his hat-trick in the bag within the first 56 minutes of the World Cup qualifying match against Croatia.
But to at least one supporter, the stunning display was no surprise - Theo’s father Don predicted that his boy would play for England and score at least one hat-trick during the 2006 World Cup. Theo had travelled to Germany with the rest of the England squad, but he didn’t get to play on that occasion.
In an interview at the time, Don said: 'Theo is a superb footballer who will win many games for England, make a huge impression on young fans and score a few hat tricks. His football will speak for itself and I suppose we have to let that happen in its own time.'
After the game, Theo said a few words after the match about the importance of family: 'My dad was here tonight which I'm so glad about,' said Walcott. 'He would have died if he didn't see it. There won't be anyone else at home as my mum will be in bed. My family and friends have brought me up well, look after me and help keep my feet on the ground.’
It’s important to encourage your kids – Don Walcott quit his RAF job to help look after his son’s affairs, and even managed to overcome his fear of flying to attend the match at Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb. That said, after this display of clairvoyance, perhaps Don should put his energies into playing the Lotto instead…