• Inside Lines: 'Axed' Aldridge ready to splash out with new teen dive partner

"Britain's new Russian diving performance director, Alexei Evangulov, has a pressing matter in his in-tray when he takes up his post tomorrow. He must decide whether to end the partnership of Tom Daley and Blake Aldridge after a declaration by Tom's father, Rob, that the pair are finally out of synch.

Apparently this is a result of Aldridge , who had a famous falling out with the Daleys in Beijing, being beaten up in a Southampton nightclub. Daley Snr says he will not allow Tom, 14, "to be drawn into further controversy", but Aldridge, 26, is still hoping they can resume their twosome. "I've been told nothing about being axed and in any case it is up to the new director," he tells us. "I've been painted as the black sheep again but the attack was unprovoked. All I remember is stepping on to the dancefloor and waking up lying in a pool of blood." Three men have been arrested and will appear in court on assault charges. Aldridge adds: "The main thing is I'm fit and diving again. What happened shouldn't detract from our achievements. If the new man wants results, surely the best way is to keep us together." But if there is to be a parting of the waves, Aldridge says he could be challenging Daley with another schoolboy partner, the 16-year-old Max Brick. "In terms of prodigies he's the next best thing to Tom, and while he's not as consistent, this will come. We'd do well together." [Source]

Content Management Powered by CuteNews