Wakefield's Chris Kamara sings Christmas classics on new festive album

But now, as well as his keen eye for football analysis and mastery of a crunching tackle, Chris Kamara has added another string to his bow – Christmas crooning.

The former Leeds United, Middlesbrough and Bradford City midfielder, who lives in Wakefield, has recorded and released his own take on festival standards like Winter Wonderland, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

The album – Here’s to Christmas – followed a successful appearance on former BBC One singing contest All Together Now.

Kammy’s rousing televised take on Elton John’s Your Song set the course to a new part of an already varied career, singing alongside a 22-piece brass band.

“I thought it was a wind-up when my agent got in touch about making an album,” he said.

“I was more nervous than I’ve been in a long time, these are the kind of musicians who play the Royal Albert Hall. But when we got talking they were very down to earth.

“I know it might be surprising to some, but anyone who knows me – especially those who shared a changing room with me in my playing days who first told me I could sing – will tell you what a big fan I am of big band music.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d get to record a full album, though.”

In his playing days did Kammy ever get his teammates psyched-up for a match with a song?

“No, if you sing in the dressing room you’d get murdered,” he said.

Although he did manage to show off his talents when he signed for Howard Wilkinson’s Leeds United in 1990.

He said: “It was the day after I signed, we got a flight to Dublin for a friendly game. It was first time I sung in front of Vinnie Jones, David Batty and Gary Speed, God rest his soul.

“Howard took us to a restaurant and there was a piano player. I said to him ‘can you play Your Song’ and I sung it.

“I got a round of applause and our captain Gordon Strachan said ‘oh look there’s our shy new signing, Chris Kamara’.”

Though most of Kammy’s singing since his playing days has been restricted to the occasional number at his bar in Tenerife, he insists the album is no gimmick and was well-received by his fellow Sky Sports presenters.

He added: “Here’s to Christmas is something I’m really proud of and I think it stands up as something fun, but something that doesn’t sound half bad too.

“We were in the hotel and I played it for Jeff, Charlie and Tommo. I’m not sure they were expecting it to sound like it did.”

And a tour could be in the pipeline for the album as well, depending on demand.

Here’s to Christmas is available or streaming websites or to buy at www.chriskamara.com