Luton captain Tom Lockyer was taken to a hospital after collapsing to the ground during the Championship play-off final against Coventry on Saturday, but the team said he was conscious and responsive.
Lockyer fell to the ground untouched while back-pedalling early in the game at Wembley and then seemed to collapse as he tried to get back up. The defender received medical attention for several minutes before being carried off on a stretcher.
Luton said on Twitter that “after collapsing on the pitch, Tom Lockyer has been taken to hospital for further tests. He is responsive and talking to his family, who are with him.”
Luton won the game after a penalty shootout to gain promotion to the Premier League for the first time.
It last played in England’s top division in 1991-92, the year before it rebranded as the Premier League.
After the game, Luton players held up Lockyer’s No. 4 shirt during the celebrations.
“I’m gutted for Locks (Lockyer), he deserved to be there holding that trophy,” Luton defender Dan Potts told Sky Sports.
“Hopefully we’ll be able to see him tonight.”
The team then posted a photo on Twitter showing Lockyer celebrating the win in his hospital bed.
‘Make sure you do it for him’
Luton — one of the original 22 first-division clubs that resigned from the Football League to create the Premier League in 1992 — will now play in the Premier League for the first time following their penalty shootout victory over Coventry.
Coventry’s Fankaty Dabo sent his spot kick high and wide to give Luton a 6-5 win in the shootout following a 1-1 draw after extra time, in what is usually dubbed the most lucrative match in world football.
The winner is expected to get in excess of $200 million in future earnings for gaining promotion to the Premier League, the richest league in world football.
Coventry was trying to return for the first time since being relegated in 2001 following a 34-year stint in the first division.
Despite the setback of losing their captain, Luton largely dominated the first half and took the lead in the 23rd minute through Jordan Clark, who received a cutback from Elijah Adebayo and took one touch to go past a defender and rifle home a left-foot shot high into the net.
Luton also had two goals disallowed before the break, but Coventry was much improved in the second half and got back into the game in the 66th.
Viktor Gyokeres ran down the left flank and teed up Gustavo Hamer, who slotted in a low shot from the edge of the area to send the sky-blue half of Wembley into a frenzy.
Luton substitute Joe Taylor thought he had scored the winner 25 minutes into extra time but it was ruled out by VAR as he handled the ball after robbing defender Jonathan Panzo of possession.
In the shootout, the first 11 penalty takers all scored their spot kicks before Dabo sent his off target.
The Luton players then held up Lockyer’s number-four shirt during the celebrations.
“He’s been brilliant for us all season,” said Reece Burke, who replaced Lockyer in the 12th minute.
“When I went on, the gaffer said ‘make sure you do it for him.'”
Luton finished third in the Championship’s regular season behind champion Burnley and Sheffield United, which both earned automatic promotion.
