:Tom Lockyer
{{Short description|Welsh footballer (born 1994)}}
{{similar names|Thomas Lockyer (disambiguation){{!}}Thomas Lockyer}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Tom Lockyer
| image = Tom Lockyer in action for Wales v Croatia.jpg
| caption = Lockyer with Wales in 2019
| full_name = Thomas Alun Lockyer{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/news/2016/june/efl-club-retained-and-released-lists-published/ |title=EFL: Club retained and released lists published |publisher=English Football League |date=23 June 2016 |access-date=5 January 2018}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|12|3|df=y}}{{Hugman|26222|access-date=5 January 2018}}
| birth_place = Cardiff, Wales
| height = {{convert|1.85|m|order=flip}}{{cite web |url=https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=63162 |title=Tom Lockyer |website=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm |access-date=8 March 2021}}
| position = Centre back{{cite news |url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/tom-lockyer-talks-four-championship-2877328 |title=Tom Lockyer in talks with four Championship clubs as he claims he stayed at Bristol Rovers for 'two years too long' |first=James |last=Piercy |website=Bristol Live |publisher=Local World |date=16 May 2019 |access-date=4 September 2019}}
| currentclub = Luton Town
| clubnumber = 4
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Radyr Rangers
| youthyears2 = 2006–2011
| youthclubs2 = Cardiff City
| youthyears3 = 2011–2012
| youthclubs3 = Bristol Rovers
| years1 = 2012–2019
| clubs1 = Bristol Rovers
| caps1 = 255
| goals1 = 6
| years2 = 2019–2020
| clubs2 = Charlton Athletic
| caps2 = 43
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2020–
| clubs3 = Luton Town
| caps3 = 102
| goals3 = 5
| nationalyears1 = 2015–2016
| nationalteam1 = Wales U21
| nationalcaps1 = 7
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2017–
| nationalteam2 = Wales
| nationalcaps2 = 16
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| club-update = 17:10, 15 December 2023 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update = 22:33, 21 November 2023 (UTC)
}}
Thomas Alun Lockyer (born 3 December 1994) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a centre back for {{English football updater|LutonTow}} club Luton Town and the Wales national team.
Lockyer played for Radyr Rangers, Cardiff City and Bristol Rovers at youth level before making his senior debut for Bristol Rovers in 2013. He joined Charlton Athletic in 2019, before departing the club a season later for Luton Town. Having been Luton's captain since the 2022–23 season, he was part of the squad that won Luton the first promotion to the Premier League in the club's history. During a Premier League match on 16 December 2023, Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch; he was resuscitated and was later fitted with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator.
Club career
=Bristol Rovers=
File:Tom Lockyer 30-04-2016 1.jpg in 2016]]
Lockyer was born and raised in Cardiff.{{cite web |url=https://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/news/2016/january/tom-lockyer-named-football-league-young-player-of-the-month/ |title=Tom Lockyer named Football League Young Player of the Month |publisher=Bristol Rovers F.C. |date=17 January 2016 |access-date=3 September 2020}} Lockyer started his career at Radyr Rangers.{{cite web |url=https://cardiffjournalism.co.uk/thecardiffian/2023/01/27/children-football-training-radyr-pitch-repairs/ |title=The Cardiffian |publisher=Bristol Rovers F.C. |date=27 January 2023 |access-date=27 May 2023}} He joined Cardiff City as a youth aged 11, but was released aged 16, as Cardiff deemed him to be too small to play his preferred position of centre back.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35327424 |title=Tom Lockyer: Bristol Rovers defender on relegation & promotion |first=Nabil |last=Hassan |website=BBC Sport |date=17 January 2016 |access-date=5 January 2018}} Lockyer then signed a scholarship for Bristol Rovers in 2011{{cite web |url=http://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/team/player-profile/tom-lockyer/4 |title=Bristol Rovers FC Player Profiles: Tom Lockyer |publisher=Bristol Rovers F.C. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170503010649/http://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/team/player-profile/tom-lockyer/4 |archive-date=3 May 2017}} and went on to make his debut on 12 January 2013, replacing Ellis Harrison, 85 minutes into a 3–0 win over Fleetwood Town at Highbury Stadium.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/20919199 |title=Fleetwood 0–3 Bristol Rovers |website=BBC Sport |date=12 January 2013 |access-date=5 January 2018}} He made his home debut two months later on 12 March 2013, replacing Oliver Norburn in the 74th minute in a 2–0 win over Port Vale.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/21665738 |title=Bristol Rovers 2–0 Port Vale |website=BBC Sport |date=12 March 2013 |access-date=5 January 2018}} He signed his first professional contract in May 2013, after making his previous appearances whilst still a youth team player.{{cite web |url=https://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/news/2013/may/tom-lockyer-signs/ |title=Tom Lockyer signs |publisher=Bristol Rovers F.C. |date=13 May 2013 |access-date=5 January 2018}}
Lockyer scored his first league goal in a 1–0 win for Bristol Rovers over Northampton Town on 31 August 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/23822812|title=Bristol Rovers 1–0 Northampton Town|publisher=BBC Sport|date=31 August 2013|accessdate=21 February 2022}}
On 17 March 2014, Lockyer signed a new two-year contract extension with Rovers.{{cite web |url=https://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/news/2014/march/tom-lockyer-signs-contract-extension/ |title=Tom Lockyer signs contract extension |publisher=Bristol Rovers F.C. |date=17 March 2014 |access-date=5 January 2018}} After Rovers were relegated out of League Two in the 2013–14 season, Lockyer became a very important part of a very successful season after seeing the club get promoted first time of asking. In that season he managed to score one goal vs Grimsby Town.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/31423683 |title=Grimsby Town 0–1 Bristol Rovers |website=BBC Sport |date=14 February 2015 |access-date=5 January 2018}} As Rovers returned to League Two, he was a first-team regular and was rewarded by being named the Football League Young Player of the Month for December 2015 after consistent good performances.{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/news/2016/january/tom-lockyer-named-football-league-young-player-of-the-month/ |title=Tom Lockyer named Football League Young Player of the Month |publisher=The Football League |date=17 January 2016 |access-date=5 January 2018}}
He made his 200th appearance for Rovers on 19 August 2017, in a 3–2 victory over Bury, in which he scored the opener.{{cite web |url=https://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/news/2017/august/lockyerpostbury/ |title=Reaction: Tom Lockyer post Bury |publisher=Bristol Rovers F.C. |date=20 August 2017 |access-date=26 August 2017}}
He departed Bristol Rovers following the expiration of his contract at the end of the 2018–19 season.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48200414 |title=Bristol Rovers: Chris Lines heads list of nine players to leave League One club |website=BBC Sport |date=8 May 2019 |access-date=14 September 2020}}
=Charlton Athletic=
Lockyer joined Charlton Athletic, who were newly promoted to the Championship, on 28 June 2019 on a two-year contract.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48803798 |title=Charlton Athletic: Chuks Aneke and Tom Lockyer join on two-year contracts |website=BBC Sport |date=28 June 2019 |access-date=14 September 2020}} His first and only goal for the club was the equaliser in a 2–2 home draw with West Bromwich Albion on 11 January 2020. After playing every minute of 43 league appearances in the 2019–20 season and missing only three matches due to suspension, Lockyer triggered a relegation release clause in his contract in August 2020, allowing him to join another club for free.{{cite news |url=https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/exclusive-tom-lockyer-activates-release-clause-at-charlton-athletic/ |title=Exclusive: Tom Lockyer activates release clause at Charlton Athletic |first=Richard |last=Cawley |newspaper=South London Press |date=10 August 2020 |access-date=14 September 2020}}
=Luton Town=
Lockyer signed for another Championship club, Luton Town, on 1 September 2020 on a free transfer.{{cite news |url=https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/sport/football/luton-town/town-chief-thrilled-sign-ambitious-lockyer-addicks-2958373 |title=Town chief thrilled to sign 'ambitious' Lockyer from Addicks |first=Mike |last=Simmonds |website=Luton Today |publisher=JPIMedia Publishing |date=1 September 2020 |access-date=14 September 2020}} His debut came two weeks later in a 1–0 EFL Cup second round victory over Reading.{{cite news |url=https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/sport/football/luton-town/hatters-rated-reading-0-luton-town-1-2972871 |title=Hatters rated: Reading 0 Luton Town 1 |first=Mike |last=Simmonds |website=Luton Today |publisher=JPIMedia Publishing |date=16 September 2020 |access-date=31 March 2021}} In January 2022, Lockyer scored his first goal for the club with his side's first in a 2–1 win over Bristol City,{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59715162|title=Luton Town 2–1 Bristol City: Luton keep up good form with City win|publisher=BBC Sport|date=25 January 2022|accessdate=21 February 2022}} saying after the match that he had dreamed of scoring against his old rivals.{{cite web|url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/former-bristol-rovers-defender-dreamed-6551264|title=Former Bristol Rovers defender dreamed of scoring against Bristol City as he makes cheeky claim|publisher=Bristol Post|last1=Piercy|first1=James|date=26 January 2022|accessdate=21 February 2022}}
During the 2022–23 season, Lockyer continued to grow as a player, earning the captaincy following an injury to Sonny Bradley. As the season developed, he earned comparisons from his management team to legendary defenders Franco Baresi{{cite web|url=https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/sport/football/luton-town/town-defender-likened-to-italy-and-ac-milan-legend-franco-baresi-by-hatters-assistant-4064690|title=Town defender likened to Italy and AC Milan legend Franco Baresi by Hatters assistant|publisher=Luton Today|last1=Simmonds|first1=Mike|date=15 March 2023|accessdate=5 April 2023}} and Franz Beckenbauer.{{cite web|url=https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/sport/football/luton-town/first-baresi-now-hatters-defender-lockyer-is-compared-to-bayern-munich-and-germany-legend-beckenbauer-4091215|title=First Baresi - now Hatters defender Lockyer is compared to Bayern Munich and Germany legend Beckenbauer|publisher=Luton Today|last1=Simmonds|first1=Mike|date=4 April 2023|accessdate=5 April 2023}} On 23 April 2023, Lockyer was named in the EFL Championship Team of the Season.[https://www.efl.com/news/2023/april/efl-team-of-the-season-line-ups-revealed/ EFL Team of the Season] At Luton's end of season awards, he took home five awards, most notably the Player of the Season award. {{cite web|url=https://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/2023/may/ltst-awards/|title=LTST Presentation Evening 2023 round-up|website=www.lutontown.co.uk|date=4 May 2023|accessdate=4 May 2023}} On 16 May 2023, he scored Luton's all important second goal to defeat Sunderland and send the club to Wembley Stadium for the Championship play-off final.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65529573|title=Luton Town 2–0 Sunderland (Agg 3–2): Hatters power through to play-off final|publisher=BBC Sport|date=16 May 2023|accessdate=17 May 2023}}
Lockyer was in the starting line-up for the 2023 Championship play-off final against Coventry City, but was stretchered off the pitch after collapsing in the 11th minute of the first half and taken to hospital. During Luton's victory celebrations following the penalty shoot-out, the Luton players paraded a Lockyer named playing shirt as they received the trophy and the club posted a photo of Lockyer celebrating in his hospital bed. Luton's manager Rob Edwards admitted after the game that it felt wrong to celebrate and his thoughts were primarily with Lockyer.{{cite web |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11688/12890801/luton-promoted-to-premier-league-tom-lockyer-celebrates-from-hospital-after-collapsing-at-wembley |title=Luton promoted to Premier League: Tom Lockyer celebrates from hospital after collapsing at Wembley |publisher=Sky Sports |date=27 May 2023 }} On 31 May, it was confirmed by the club that he would be leaving hospital the following day,{{cite web|url=https://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/2023/may/tom-lockyer/|title=Tom Lockyer to return home tomorrow!|website=www.lutontown.co.uk|date=31 May 2023|accessdate=1 June 2023}} with a follow-up report a week later stating that Lockyer had suffered atrial fibrillation of the heart, but he was given the all clear to resume his playing career following surgery. On 6 July 2023, it was confirmed that Lockyer had renewed his contract with Luton Town, one week after his previous contract ran out.[https://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/2023/july/lockyer-2023-deal Lockyer 2023 Deal, LutonTown.co.uk]
On 12 August 2023, Lockyer captained Luton in the club's first Premier League match as they lost 4–1 to Brighton & Hove Albion on the opening day of the 2023–24 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/2023/august/lockyer-brighton-post-match/|title=Tom Lockyer "We'll take positives"|date=14 August 2023|website=Luton Town F.C.}} On 30 September, Lockyer scored his first Premier League goal in a 2–1 win at Everton{{Cite news |title=Everton 1-2 Luton: Tom Lockyer and Carlton Morris goals secure historic first Premier League win |language=en-GB |work=Sky Sports |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/12971555/everton-1-2-luton-tom-lockyer-and-carlton-morris-goals-secure-historic-first-premier-league-win |access-date=2023-12-19}} – Luton's first win in the competition and first top division win in 31 years.{{cite web|url=https://www.beinsports.com/en-au/football/premier-league/articles/rob-edwards-very-very-proud-of-luton-after-landmark-premier-league-win-2023-09-30|title=Rob Edwards 'very, very proud' of Luton after landmark Premier League win|date=1 October 2023|website=BeIN Sports}}
During a match against AFC Bournemouth on 16 December 2023, Lockyer was stretchered off the pitch after collapsing in the second half, having suffered a cardiac arrest. Bournemouth player Philip Billing was the first person to summon assistance to the defender before the arrival of the medical staff,{{Cite web |last=Bosher |first=Luke |date=21 December 2023 |title=Lockyer discharged from hospital following cardiac arrest |url=https://theathletic.com/5154455/2023/12/21/tom-lockyer-released-hospital-luton/ |access-date=2 January 2024 |website=The Athletic |language=en}} who managed to resuscitate him in two minutes.{{Cite web |last=Garrick |first=Omar |date=31 December 2023 |title=Lockyer issues positive health update following cardiac arrest |url=https://theathletic.com/5171069/2023/12/31/tom-lockyer-luton-health-latest/ |access-date=2 January 2024 |website=The Athletic |language=en}} The match was subsequently abandoned with the scoreline at 1–1. Luton later released a statement confirming that Lockyer was in a stable condition.{{Cite news |title=Luton captain Lockyer collapses on pitch |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/67738555 |access-date=2023-12-16}} After being discharged from the hospital, having had an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator fitted, he began a period of rehabilitation at home.
On 13 August 2024, Luton Town announced that Lockyer had returned to the club's training ground to begin the next phase of his rehabilitation.{{cite web|url=https://www.lutontown.co.uk/en/news/tom-lockyer-returns-to-the-brache|title=Tom Lockyer returns to The Brache|website=www.lutontown.co.uk|date=13 August 2024|accessdate=14 August 2024}} In December 2024, just one week before his scheduled return to development squad action, he suffered ankle ligament damage in training, requiring surgery. {{cite web|url=https://www.lutontown.co.uk/en/news/lockyer-sidelined-after-ankle-operation|title=Lockyer sidelined after ankle operation|website=www.lutontown.co.uk|date=19 December 2024|accessdate=19 December 2024}} He was not offered a new contract at the end of the 2024–25 season, continuing his rehabilitation with the club however. {{cite web|url=https://www.lutontown.co.uk/en/news/squad-changes-announced-in-retained-and-released-list|title=Squad changes announced in retained and released list|website=www.lutontown.co.uk|date=9 May 2025|accessdate=24 May 2025}}
International career
In October 2015, Lockyer made his Wales under-21 debut in a 0–0 draw against Denmark.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/34482055 |title=Denmark U21 0–0 Wales U21 |website=BBC Sport |date=9 October 2015 |access-date=5 January 2018}}
Lockyer was called up to the Welsh senior team in June 2017, remaining an unused substitute during a 1–1 draw with Serbia.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40147354 |title=Serbia 1–1 Wales |first=Dafydd |last=Pritchard |website=BBC Sport |date=11 June 2017 |access-date=5 January 2018}} He received his second call-up for the senior squad on 25 August 2017, for the upcoming qualifiers against Austria and Moldova.{{cite web |url=https://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/news/2017/august/18.08.17---locks-wales/ |title=Tom Lockyer called up to Wales senior squad |publisher=Bristol Rovers F.C. |date=25 August 2017 |access-date=26 August 2017}} He made his debut for the senior team on 14 November 2017 as a half-time substitute during a 1–1 draw with Panama.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41884895 |title=Wales 1–1 Panama |first=Dafydd |last=Pritchard |website=BBC Sport |date=14 November 2017 |access-date=14 November 2017}} In May 2021 he was selected for the Wales squad for the delayed UEFA Euro 2020 tournament.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57301006|title=Uncapped Colwill in Wales Euro 2020 squad|work=BBC Sport }}
On 9 November 2022, more than a year since he last played for his country, Lockyer was called up to the Wales squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63545446|title=World Cup 2022: Wales name injury doubt Joe Allen in 26-man squad|publisher=BBC Sport|date=9 November 2022|accessdate=9 November 2022}} On 21 November 2023, Lockyer played the full 90 minutes in a 1–1 draw against Turkey, his first competitive game for his country in over three years.{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67411397 | title=Wales must settle for play-offs after Turkey draw | work=BBC Sport }}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|match played 10 December 2023}}
{{notelist}}
=International=
{{updated|match played 21 November 2023}}{{NFT player |id=69379 |name=Lockyer, Tom |access-date=17 June 2021}}
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan=7|Wales
|2017 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | |
| colspan=2|Total||16||0 |
Honours
Bristol Rovers
- Football League Two third-place promotion: 2015–16{{cite book |editor-first=John |editor-last=Anderson |title=Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2016–2017 |year=2016 |publisher=Headline Publishing Group |location=London |isbn=978-1-4722-3395-0 |pages=90–91}}
- Conference Premier play-offs: 2015{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/32679757 |title=Bristol Rovers 1–1 Grimsby Town |first=Brendon |last=Mitchell |website=BBC Sport |date=17 May 2015 |access-date=5 January 2018}}
Luton Town
- EFL Championship play-offs: 2023{{Cite news |title=Luton win shootout to reach Premier League |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65654937 |access-date=2023-05-27}}
Individual
- Football League Young Player of the Month: December 2015
- EFL Championship Team of the Season: 2022–23{{Cite web |date=23 April 2023 |title=EFL Team of the Season line-ups revealed |url=https://www.efl.com/news/2023/april/efl-team-of-the-season-line-ups-revealed/ |access-date=24 April 2023 |website=English Football League}}
- PFA Team of the Year: 2022–23 Championship{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66650723 |title=Erling Haaland: Manchester City forward wins PFA men's Player of the Year award |publisher=BBC Sport |date=29 August 2023 |access-date=29 August 2023}}
- Luton Town Player of the Season: 2022–23
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [https://www.lutontown.co.uk/teams/first-team/defender/tom-lockyer/ Profile] at the Luton Town F.C. website
{{Luton Town F.C. squad}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Wales squads
| bg = #D81E05
| fg = white
| bordercolor = green
| list1 =
{{Wales squad UEFA Euro 2020}}
{{Wales squad 2022 FIFA World Cup}}
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{{Navboxes
| title = Awards
| bg = gold
| list1 =
{{Luton Town F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{2022–23 EFL Championship Team of the Season}}
{{2022–23 EFL Championship PFA Team of the Year}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lockyer, Tom}}
Category:Footballers from Cardiff
Category:Welsh men's footballers
Category:21st-century Welsh sportsmen
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Cardiff City F.C. players
Category:Bristol Rovers F.C. players
Category:Charlton Athletic F.C. players
Category:Luton Town F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:National League (English football) players
Category:Premier League players
Category:Wales men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Wales men's international footballers
Category:UEFA Euro 2020 players