Luton skipper Lockyer's first return to the Brache hailed as 'amazing' by Town boss Edwards

There was a special face back at the Brache this morning as Luton skipper Tom Lockyer made his first return to the Hatters’ training ground after suffering his cardiac arrest against AFC Bournemouth last month.

The hugely popular centre half was greeted by team-mate and close friend Carlton Morris on his arrival, before meeting the rest of the Luton squad, management, backroom staff and the medical team who were responsible for saving his life at the Vitality Stadium. He then took his place in a special presentation made by two Luton legends, Mick Harford and John Still, as the Town players received their encased Premier League footballs, awarded to those who had made their top flight debuts this term.

On what it was like to have Lockyer back in the dressing room environment and watching training, Hatters boss Rob Edwards said: “Amazing, brilliant, really good to see him. We had a really good morning, to see Tom, see him around the place, we were able to give them their debut Premier League balls, a lot of lads who have had them this year, so we had a nice presentation.

"Mick Harford and John Still presenting the lads with those balls, it was a real special moment and great to see them around today. I managed to hold it together, believe it or not. It’s been a real difficult time for him and his family first and foremost, but also for us because we’re close, but great to see him.

"He's an unbelievably brave man and he’s someone as well that he has an unbelievable handle over all of it and I wouldn't be able to be how he is, I wouldn't. He’s just such an impressive person and also focused as well .There’s a rehabilitation process to go through, but he’s taking it pretty slowly. He’s got a baby on the way, and that’s really exciting for him as well at the moment, so I think that’s and rightly so, his main focus.”

With Lockyer having since been fitted with a ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator) since, the Luton chief wasn’t about to offer any kind of news regarding whether the Welsh international can consider playing again, as he added: “He was in, he wasn’t training, there’s a rehabilitation process now, that’s all I’m going to say. There’s a right to his privacy now and that’s it. We’ve got to all respect that. It’s just about the rehabilitation which is going to be a long time. The main thing is he takes his time, that’s it.”