Lockyer sets his sights on returning to play for the Hatters again after cardiac arrest

Defender Tom Lockyer has made it quite clear that he is aiming to run out at Kenilworth Road as a Luton Town player once more.

​The 29-year-old has not kicked a ball for the Hatters since suffering a cardiac arrest at AFC Bournemouth in December last year, undergoing an extensive rehabilitation period after his heart stopped for almost three minutes during the game at the Vitality Stadium. Now fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, and regularly seeing a specialist based in Amsterdam, Lockyer returned to Luton’s training ground recently to step up his recovery, and writing in the club’s programme on Friday, is targeting a full return to playing in the future.

He said: “It goes without saying that I’m over the moon to be back on the grass at the Brache. It’s been a long road since that day in Bournemouth and I am by no means ready to get back on the pitch at the Kenny despite wanting to! However, the support I have received in this rehabilitation process has been incredible so thank you to everyone involved so far. I will keep working hard - while still taking it day by day - as I aim to be back on the pitch here. So watch this space.”

Discussing the boost that both he and his players have had from Lockyer’s return to the training ground, boss Rob Edwards added: “His next stage of rehabilitation is going to be here at the Brache, so we’re taking steps to bring in a member of staff to work directly with him. He’ll be working separately to the boys at the moment, but it’s the next step in his rehab, so we want to be able to oversee that.

"I’m never going to overplay it, I don’t want to downplay it either, it’s great that he’s doing really, really well and it’s just the next stage of his rehab. To have him in one or two meetings and to have him about, it’s brilliant and gives everyone a lift.”