Tom Lockyer says ‘every minute counts’ as the weekend EFL action starts later

Cardiac arrest survivor Tom Lockyer has urged fans to learn lifesaving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) as the EFL highlights the importance of immediate action by delaying every kick-off this weekend by a minute.

The 16-cap Wales international collapsed during Luton’s play-off final win against Coventry in May 2023 due to an atrial fibrillation that required surgery before being cleared to resume playing.

But seven months later his heart stopped on the pitch for nearly three minutes during a Premier League match at Bournemouth, where immediate CPR and defibrillation saved his life.

The 31-year-old returned to action last October back with Bristol Rovers, whose League Two match against Chesterfield on Saturday is among 36 EFL fixtures being moved 60 seconds to underline that every minute is vital.

“It’s done very deliberately to highlight that every minute matters after a cardiac arrest,” Lockyer told the Press Association. “Every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation, your chances of surviving decreases by 10 per cent.

“It’s brilliant to raise awareness, it strikes up conversation and, ultimately, it’s going to help us get more people trained up in learning CPR.”

The unusual kick-off times are part of the ‘Every Minute Matters’ campaign, which was launched by Sky Bet and the British Heart Foundation in 2024 to get more people CPR trained.

“There’s no point everyone just taking an extra minute in bed,” Lockyer said of the kick-off times. “We’re doing it for a reason. We want people learning CPR and once you’ve learned CPR we’re asking people to show your heart on social media.”

The ‘Show Your Heart’ initiative has seen a variety of figures from the footballing world post a photo making a heart figure with