Luton Town boss Rob Edwards says it is “too early to tell” whether Tom Lockyer will be able to resume his career after the Hatters skipper suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch last week.
Lockyer collapsed during the second half of Luton’s Premier League fixture against Bournemouth, which was initially suspended and then abandoned.
It was the second time the 29-year-old had collapsed on the field, having suffered an unconnected atrial fibrillation during the Hatters’ Championship play-off final win against Coventry City in May.
On Thursday, the club confirmed Lockyer had been released from hospital after being fitted with an ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator), which can detect an abnormal heart rhythm.
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Luton will face Newcastle United in their first fixture since the incident occurred on Saturday, and speaking in his pre-match press conference, Edwards said everyone’s focus was simply on ensuring Lockyer completes a full recovery.
“I won’t be able to articulate all my feelings,” Edwards said when asked about Lockyer’s collapse on Friday.
“I sensed something was different this time to May. It was then about raising the alarm and trying to clear the area and let the medics do their job.
“While I’m on that topic, wow, didn’t they do their jobs. They saved him and made every decision bang-on with everyone watching. They’re heroes.
We are thankful to report that our captain Tom Lockyer has now begun a period of rehabilitation from the comfort of his own home after he was discharged from hospital on Wednesday.
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— Luton Town FC (@LutonTown) December 21, 2023
“It’s not the second time it’s happened to him, in May it was an atrial fibrillation, this was a cardiac arrest, and it’s too early to tell why and [what will happen] going forward.
“It’s about him recovering. He’s had the operation now with the ICD fitted, it’s about recovery and we’ll see going forward what that means.
“His dad described it to me yesterday as if he’d ‘had a fight with a bear’. He’s tired, he’s clearly been through a lot, bless him, but he’s being well looked after at home.”
Edwards also thanked Bournemouth’s staff and players for their response to Lockyer’s collapse, saying the two clubs would share a “special bond” going forward.
“I need to say thank you to everyone at Bournemouth, Andoni (Iraola), his staff, the players themselves,” Edwards added.
“A special message to Phillip Billing, David Brooks and his partner, who know Tom well. They saw his family at the hospital and really comforted them.”
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— Luton Town FC (@LutonTown) December 22, 2023
