Six years on from his initial departure, defender Tom Lockyer rejoined Bristol Rovers in October 2025, putting pen-to-paper on a contract with the Pirates until the end of the season.
The 30-year-old rejoins the Club where he started his professional journey, completing an incredible comeback following a cardiac arrest in a Premier League fixture with Luton Town in December 2023.
Born and raised in Cardiff, Lockyer signed a scholarship with Rovers in 2011 and made his debut for the Gas in a 3-0 win over Fleetwood Town, coming on as a substitute in place of another returning player in Ellis Harrison.
After signing his first professional contract in May 2013, Lockyer netted his first league goal in a 1-0 win over Northampton Town in August of the same year.
With Clarke as manager Lockyer became a regular in the Rovers starting XI, featuring as a near-ever-present as the Gas achieved promotion from the Conference National League in 2014/15 and then from League Two in 2015/16.
Lockyer played in every League One match in the 2016/17 season for Bristol Rovers and marked his 200th appearance for the Club with the opening goal in a 3-2 win over Bury in August 2017.
The defender moved to Championship side Charlton Athletic in June 2019 and played in every minute of 43 league games for the side before joining Luton Town in September 2020.
Lockyer’s performances developed during his time with the Hatters, with the centre-back named captain during the 2022/23 season and earning a spot in the EFL Championship Team Of The Season.
He would score the goal that secured Luton’s spot in the Championship Play-Off Final and started the final against Coventry City as Town earned promotion to the Premier League for the first time ever.
Lockyer made 14 Premier League appearances for Luton prior to the fixture with AFC Bournemouth in December 2023, in which he suffered a cardiac arrest. He was resuscitated on the pitch and had an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator fitted, and has since worked tirelessly to secure his return to the game.