Welsh football manager once hugged by Kitty as 'a man of the people' (8)
I believe the answer is:
populist
'welsh football manager' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'hugged by kitty as a man of the people' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'man' could be 'p' (abbreviation for pawn, a chess piece or 'man') and 'p' is located in the answer.
'of' could be 'o' and 'o' is found in the answer.
'the' could be 't' (the is pronounced as a 't' sound in some dialects) and 't' is present in the answer.
The remaining letters 'pulis' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't see.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
'once' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for populist that I've seen before include "Appealing to the majority" , "Appealing to the masses" , "not favouring elite" , "out to appeal to plebs" , "Pandering to public taste" .)