Lockyer rejoins Bristol R. 2yrs after cardiac arrest

Tom Lockyer plans to have "many more good memories in a football shirt" after rejoining Bristol Rovers nearly two years on from suffering a cardiac arrest during a Premier League game.

Wales international Lockyer has not played since collapsing during the top-flight game between Bournemouth and Luton at the Vitality Stadium in December 2023.

The 30-year-old defender left Luton last month but he has since been training with Rovers, and on Thursday signed a deal until the end of the season at the club where he made over 280 appearances between 2013 and 2019.

"It feels really, really good to once again be a Bristol Rovers player," Lockyer told the club website. "Obviously I've been training here for a while and I've tried not to think too much about it or get too excited about the ifs, buts and maybes.

"But as soon as I knew that Darrell [Clarke, manager] wanted to get something done, it was easy for me to then make a decision about coming back home.

"It is so hard to explain, but it's everything I've worked so hard for over the last two years. Hopefully I can have many, many more good memories in a football shirt.

"I'm going to celebrate the little wins back on a football pitch and I just want to enjoy it. I wouldn't be doing this otherwise.

"I'm doing this because I love playing football and I've got that massive desire to play football again, and what better place to do that than back home at Bristol Rovers."

Rovers boss Clarke said: "I'm delighted to have Tom back with us.

"He's a lad I've got a lot of admiration for, which has only increased after everything he and his family have gone through in the last couple of years."

Rovers are in 16th place in League Two and next play away at Crawley Town on Saturday.