The Bournemouth versus Luton match was halted after an incident involving Hatters defender Tom Lockyer, who collapsed on the field.
At the point of the collapse, the score stood at 1-1, nearly an hour into the game, when the 29-year-old suddenly fell without anyone nearby.
Following Lockyer’s collapse, players retreated from the field while medical personnel attended to him, prompting the match referee, Simon Hooper, to pause the game. Both teams were directed to the sidelines while Lockyer received extensive medical care from paramedics.
Ultimately, in the 65th minute, the match was suspended, and an announcement was made over the stadium’s speakers indicating that the decision about resuming the game would involve players and managers.
After a prolonged interval, the match was officially called off. As the teams reappeared from the dressing rooms, they joined in applauding the fans.
In response to the incident, Luton tweeted a supportive message: “We are all with you, Locks.”
This wasn’t Lockyer’s first collapse; previously, he experienced a similar incident during the Championship play-off final in June but made a full recovery.
Former Arsenal winger Perry Groves, reporting for talkSPORT, mentioned the somber atmosphere and players’ distress, emphasizing the uncertainty in the air about Lockyer’s condition. He also highlighted the psychological impact, suggesting it would be difficult for the players to resume the game. Additionally, he expressed hope that any decision regarding the match continuation wasn’t solely left to the players but was a decision made by the authorities.