Bristol Rovers are targeting an emotional reunion with defender Tom Lockyer following his exit from Luton Town.
The 30-year-old began his professional career with the Pirates, racking up almost 300 appearances between 2012 and 2019. His time at the Memorial Stadium coincided with triumphs in the National League and League Two, eventually earning him a move to Charlton Athletic in 2019.
A year later, the 16-time Welsh international transferred to Luton Town. He became a mainstay of the Hatters defence, helping them earn promotion to the Premier League in 2023. However, his time in the top tier came to a premature end when he suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch during their clash with AFC Bournemouth.
Lockyer Returns To Action
A long road back to action followed and Lockyer remained at Kenilworth Road upon the expiration of his contract. He finally returned to action last month with Luton’s under-21 team last month. However, his exit was confirmed yesterday. In a statement, Luton CEO Gary Sweet said:
“It has been a long road to recovery for Tom as we have diligently nursed him back to fitness with great care, enabling him to make decisions about his future career he never thought he would be in a position to make at one point.
“We’ve taken great pride in helping Tom to a full recovery, which will continue for now with another club, but he knows that he and his family will always be welcome at Luton Town, the club he has called home for the past five years.
“We thank Tom so much for the prominent role he has played in our success in recent years. His play-off semi-final goal to level the tie against Sunderland will never be forgotten, and his name is firmly etched into Luton Town history as our first Premier League captain.
“We look forward to giving him a proper Kenilworth Road send-off when his matchday commitments allow.”
It appears as if a return to his first club is now on the cards though. Journalist Dan Hargraves has revealed that Lockyer is now training with Rovers with the view of earning a contract. This would also see him reunite with Darrell Clarke, who also returned to the club in the summer.
Writer’s View
This would be a fantastic piece of business for Bristol Rovers, who are targeting promotion to League One. Tom Lockyer has proven he is a top quality defender and should he return to the club in which he earned two promotions, he will do so having earned Championship and Premier League experience. It’s also fantastic to see the defender recover from such a serious condition and everyone involved in football will be hoping to see him back on a professional pitch in the coming weeks.
