Luton defender admits being spurred on when hearing his name sung by Town fans

Luton defender Tom Lockyer admitted that hearing his name sung on the terraces most definitely spurs him on when he is on the field for the Hatters.

The 28-year-old has become a huge fan favourite this season, as after two years of struggling to nail down a place as a first team regular with Town, has seen his career in Bedfordshire take off since winning his place back in the side after the opening four games.

In fact, the Welsh international has not one, but two ditties that the Luton followers sing on a regular basis, his own personal chant, and then along with team-mate Carlton Morris, the duo are included in the ‘super Robbie Edwards’ anthem that has a regular airing throughout the 90 minutes.

It’s something that helps raise his game to an even higher level, as Lockyer said: “It is really nice, really, really nice, it’s taken a couple of years hasn't it with my injuries, but it is really nice.

"It’s a great feeling when my family come up and watch, my missus in the stand, she loves it, so it is really nice.

"It gives you that little spur on the pitch, if you do something good and then you hear the song going as well, it’s a great feeling.”

The majority of the 10,000 or so fans inside the ground had another chance to belt out a rendition on Monday evening when Lockyer scored his first league goal of the season at Kenilworth Road against Middlesbrough, timing his run perfectly to head home Alfie Doughty’s corner to equalise for the hosts.

On the strike, he said: “I wasn’t even supposed to be there if I’m honest with you, I was supposed to be at the front, but it’s funny how it happens isn’t it.

“As soon as he hit it and I ended up running I thought ‘oh yeah, here we go, this is good.’

"Then it was sweet contact, I knew it was in straight away as soon as the ball left my head.

"So after that all I was worried about was doing the best knee slide I could and I think I nailed it quite well.

"I don’t know if you can remember my last one against Bristol City, I think I had grass burns on my knees for about three weeks after that one, so a little bit better this time.”

After a season in which Lockyer has been absolutely magnificent in the middle of Town’s back three, injuries means he found himself moved to the left-sided centre half role against Rotherham recently and then shifted to the right for the last two games against Reading and Boro.

However, he has still kept his performance levels at an incredibly high standard, named the star man in the 2-1 success against their play-off rivals earlier in the week, as on Town's ever-changing defensive line-up, with Gabe Osho, Reece Burke and Dan Potts all absent through injury recently, he added: “It’s weird how it works sometimes isn’t it.

"You play a position, you look at Amari’i (Bell) at the start of the season, he was just a wingback and through whatever has happened, injuries, he’s ended up playing on the left of a three and he’s done really, really well.

"He’s been really consistent for us and a really high performer in that position.

"He’s a great player and that’s with a lot of the boys as well.

"I’ve had to move over to the right now with a few injuries, but the lads don’t mind doing it.

"Everyone does what’s best for the team and they want to try and get that end goal and ultimately three points every match day.

“I think the standards have been quite good all the way through personally.

"You can’t be unbelievable every week and there’s certain things, I was ill a couple of weeks ago and stuff like that, touch wood I’ve been quite lucky with injuries this year, unlike last year.

"So it’s really good to have a full season feeling fit again and been able to perform at my best.”