Tom Lockyer provides an update on his return to football as he continues to recover from a cardiac arrest…and opens up about the impact of his little girl

Tom Lockyer says he has agreed to never play football again if doctors tell him to stop after his cardiac arrest.

The Luton captain’s heart stopped for more than two-and-a-half minutes during a match at Bournemouth in December, seven months after collapsing at Wembley during the Championship play-off final victory over Coventry.

“The decision whether I play again or not will be made later. But, at any moment, the cardiologist could say you can’t play anymore,” Lockyer said at the launch of the Every Minute Matters campaign – a year-long partnership between Sky Bet and the British Heart Foundation to inspire the nation to learn life. -economics of CPR.

“But I’m at peace with that if it has to happen.” I would just consider it positive that I’m still here, not that I can’t play anymore.

“A decision is not up to me. I would love to play again, I haven’t hidden it, but it would have to be done safely.

Lockyer shared his new outlook on life at the launch of the Every Minute Matters campaign, a year-long partnership between Sky Bet and the British Heart Foundation.

Lockyer’s heart stopped for more than two and a half minutes during a match at Bournemouth in December

Lockyer managed Luton in the Premier League – with Hatters still fighting to avoid the drop

“I feel safer than ever before. I have a defibrillator at my side. Ultimately, the decision is not mine to make.

“I’m incredibly lucky to have had a 10-year career that saw me play in every league, non-league, up to the Premier League and score in every one of them.” I also have 14 caps for Wales. It’s more than I thought.

The 29-year-old became a father earlier this year and decided to spend time with his little girl. A valuable experience that he feared he would not have.

“I’m so lucky to still be here and in his life,” he said.

“When I hold her now, it’s just incredible. The feeling and love you have for your child is incredibly strong and mine is even stronger now. I’m so grateful to be here to see her grow, see her change, smile and you know, get sick of me. I adore. I am incredibly lucky. I cannot stress this enough.

And Lockyer admitted that trying to hide his emotions helped him cope with the traumatic events of the last year.

“I think it’s a bit of a coping mechanism, not getting emotional and not thinking about it. It’s probably my shield in a way,” he said.

Lockyer pictured speaking to Glenn Hoddle at the Sky Bet and British Heart Foundation event

“I’ve never really been one to feel a lot of emotion, but I think as a professional athlete you have a way of dealing with adversity, setbacks, losses, quits and all that. kind of things.

“You are able to compartmentalize a little. Of course, there were things that inflamed it, but overall I did very well. I think I’m incredibly lucky in that sense.

Tom Lockyer was speaking at the launch of the Every Minute Matters campaign, a year-long partnership between Sky Bet and the British Heart Foundation to inspire the nation to learn life-saving CPR. Learn CPR in 15 minutes for free with RevivR™