Hatters striker Taylor: Luton's win at Wembley was for my 'football dad' Lockyer

Luton forward Joe Taylor was quick to pay tribute to his ‘football dad’ Tom Lockyer following the Hatters’ play-off final penalty shoot-out victory over Coventry City on Saturday that took them to the Premier League.

The 20-year-old was on the bench when he saw the Hatters’ stand-out defender worryingly collapse on the pitch inside the opening 10 minutes of the contest and have to be stretchered off, immediately taken to hospital.

Lockyer has since posted messages on social media stating he is feeling well again now, but seeing it happen in front of him was almost too much for Taylor to take, as he said: “Tom’s brilliant for me.

"I tend to call him my football dad, as Tom’s been brilliant with me the day I walked into the building.

"I play darts with him, I get on with him really well.

"Being a fellow Welshman as well, when he came off at the time, he was carried past me, I nearly broke down into tears.

"But I just thought it gave us that extra bit of motivation as if we’re going to do it for anyone, we’re going to do it for him.

"He’s been instrumental to us, especially since I’ve been here, but all season he’s been brilliant, week in, week out.

"It just gave everyone that extra kick to obviously go on and get the job done.”