Premier League Match Abandoned After Luton Town Captain Collapses
A scary situation took place at Vitality Stadium on Saturday when Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer collapsed on the pitch.
The Hatters were tied 1-1 against AFC Bournemouth in 59th minute when Lockyer fell to the ground with no other player near him per Retuers via ESPN. Players immeditately reacted, and Luton manager Rob Edwards attempted to clear everyone from Edwards to allow medical personnel to attend to the 29-year-old.
Both sides left the pitch after six minutes, and the Premier League announced the match had been abandoned. Lockyer was carried off on a stretcher to applause from the crowd after the players had gone to the dressing rooms.
A Bournemouth doctor and Luton confirmed on social media the defender was alert and responsive, per Fabrizio Romano.
“We all hope and pray for our leader and captain Tom Lockyer, who is thankfully responsive and has been taken to hospital,” Luton wrote on X.
“We don’t know the full extent of what happened and what the next steps are at this stage, but we thank Bournemouth and the medical staff on both sides for their immediate response, which was absolutely amazing.
“… Our thoughts are with him and them all.”
Edwards took a lap around the pitch to thank fans in attendnace for their support after the match was abandoned.
Lockyer collapsed during Luton’s promotional playoff win over Coventry City at Wembley Stadium on May 27. He spent five days in the hospital and had an operation to fix an atrial fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation causes the heart to beat too fast as the atria contracts in an abnormal, fast, rhythm that prevents the heart refilling with blood before pumping it back around the body again.
Lockyer returned for preseason training after receiving the all-clear.