Luton captain Lockyear remains in hospital

LONDON : Luton Town captain Tom Lockyear remains in hospital after collapsing on the pitch during Saturday's Championship play-off final victory over Coventry City at Wembley, manager Rob Edwards said on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old Lockyear was taken to hospital after falling to the turf with no player around him 12 minutes into the game Luton eventually won on penalties to reach the Premier League.

"He's OK. He is still in hospital at the moment. He is having lots of tests and checks. He is with the best people," Edwards told BBC 5 Live.

"We have all been in touch with him and speaking to him every day. As you can imagine the lads, the staff, doctors and physios. When he was texting me last night he was expecting to come out today, not sure if that is definitely the case right now but that is what he was saying to me so we will see."

Thousands took to the street of the Bedfordshire town as the players and staff rode an open top bus to celebrate Luton's return to the top flight for the first time since 1992.

They are the first club to return there having fallen all the way out of the Football League.

Their Kenilworth Road ground will be the smallest in the Premier League with a capacity of around 10,000. The club are to spend around 10 million pounds on improvements ahead of the start of next season.

"I've got some diggers ready to go into Kenilworth Road to start doing some work there tonight. It is going to start pretty soon," chief executive Adam Sweet said at the weekend.

Midfielder Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, who has been with the club since its rise from the National League, said they were looking forward to welcoming the big guns to the stadium.

"It's been one hell of a journey... hopefully enjoy the summer and we'll see the likes