Rob Edwards has hailed the “class” of Bournemouth fans who helped pay for Luton supporter coaches for tonight’s trip to the Vitality Stadium after the original game was abandoned when Tom Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest.
The Cherries supporters, who sang the Hatters skipper’s name in December after he collapsed and needed life-saving CPR on the pitch, also raised money to help Hatters pay for the travel to the rescheduled Premier League clash.
“I think the two clubs will have a special bond now,” said the Luton manager.
“Things like Bournemouth’s supporters’ trust raising money to pay for the coaches for our supporters, because they’re having to do the journey twice, that shows a lot of class from them.
“So, a big, big thank you from me and our football club. I know both sets of supporters have raised a lot of money for the British Heart Foundation. Some of the work that Locks has done since, and both clubs will have raised a lot of awareness for CPR.
“The British Heart Foundation are looking into people doing CPR as well, so off the back of a harrowing experience, a lot of good will have come from it.”
Lockyer is expected to be at the game this evening returning to the stadium where he nearly lost his life.
Edwards said: “Locks will be able to meet the people that helped save his life and he’ll be able to see their supporters as well, who were unbelievable on the day.
“Their players, their staff, it will be nice to almost close that part of the story up, if you like, and then be able to concentrate on moving forward.”
During a half-time ceremony, the two clubs’ supporters’ trusts will also present the British Heart Foundation with a cheque for money raised for the charity, with the Luton fans’ group paying tribute to the Cherries in their latest podcast.
And the home fans have organised one minute’s applause on the 59th minute, when Lockyer collapsed, to give thanks to the medical staff of both teams that acted so quickly, along with paramedics, to revive the Welshman.
“(It’s) fantastic and rightly so,” said Edwards, adding: ”I said at the time, they’re the true heroes.
“Football players are modern day heroes and heroes to a lot of children and people growing up, but it is only football in the end and there are more important things.
“What those guys did in the most pressurised moment was incredible. They deserve all the attention and affection that they’re going to get.”
