Tom Lockyer, the captain of Luton Town, was released from the hospital on Wednesday and is currently recuperating at home.
This comes after he passed out on the field at the Vitality Stadium during the game against Bournemouth due to a cardiac arrest. After receiving on-site medical attention, the match was eventually called off.
During Lockyer’s hospital stay, an implanted cardioverter defibrillator—a device that shocks the heart in the event of a cardiac arrest—was installed. After being released from the hospital, Captain Tom Lockyer started his recovery process at home, according to a statement released by Luton Town.
Tom Lockyer passed out in the field
The game was stopped on Saturday in the 65th minute so that Lockyer could get medical attention. Rob Edwards, the manager of Luton, hurried into the field to make sure Lockyer’s medical team had enough room. It was decided not to play the remaining players in the match after they were stretchered off.
The club would like to thank everyone at Bournemouth, including their supporters, club officials, and especially their medical staff and midfield player Philip Billing. Tom and the Lockyer family are also very appreciative of this. Billing was the first person on the pitch to get to Tom and ask for help.
Tom Lockyer had previously fallen on the field
In May, during the Championship playoff final, Lockyer had previously fallen. Recent testing, however, revealed that the cardiac arrest he suffered during the most recent incident had nothing to do with the earlier incident.
He spent five days in the hospital after the collapse at Wembley and had surgery to treat atrial fibrillation, a condition that causes an irregular and frequently abnormally fast heart rate. He was allowed to play in the preseason despite this.
Luton claims that following the Championship playoff final, Tom and the team sought clinical advice from renowned cardiologists at every step, backed by a group of multidisciplinary consultants. The latest testing verified that Tom’s problem on Saturday was not the same as his atrial fibrillation from May.
More about Tom Lockyer
Tom Lockyer is a Welsh professional football player who plays center back for Premier League team Luton Town. He also plays for the Wales national team.
Having grown up in Cardiff, Lockyer began his football career with Radyr Rangers. He was released from Cardiff City’s youth setup at the age of 16, despite having joined the team at the age of 11, because he was deemed too small for his preferred position as a center-back. After that, in 2011, Lockyer was awarded a scholarship by Bristol Rovers. On January 12, 2013, he made his debut against Fleetwood Town, winning 3-0.
In May 2013, his remarkable performances earned him a professional contract. On August 31, 2013, Lockyer scored his first league goal in a 1-0 victory over Northampton Town. He eventually contributed significantly to Bristol Rovers’ promotion following their 2013–14 League Two relegation. Because of his perseverance, Lockyer was recognized and awarded the December 2015 Football League Young Player of the Month title.
Lockyer accomplished milestones while at Bristol Rovers, such as making his 200th appearance in a game against Bury on August 19, 2017. He left Bristol Rovers at the conclusion of the 2018–19 season when his contract expired.
Tom Lockyer’s international career
Lockyer made his Wales under-21 team debut in a 0-0 draw with Denmark in October 2015.
His development was furthered when, in June 2017, he was called up to the Welsh senior team and played an unutilized substitute role in a 1-1 draw with Serbia. Lockyer was called up for the senior squad for the qualifiers against Moldova and Austria in August of the following year.
On November 14, 2017, he made his senior team debut in a 1-1 draw with Panama as a halftime substitute. He was chosen to play for Wales in the postponed UEFA Euro 2020 competition in May 2021.
On November 9, 2022, Lockyer was called up to the Wales squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, his first international call-up in over a year. He participated in the entire 90 minutes of a 1-1 draw with Turkey on November 21, 2023, which was his first competitive match for his nation in more than three years.
