Hatters star Lockyer reveals he came close to leaving Luton after a 'sad' start to the season

Hatters’ star defender Tom Lockyer has revealed he came close to leaving Luton at the start of the campaign after admitting he was left feeling ‘sad' about being unable to break into the first team.

When the season kicked off back in July, the 28-year-old was left on the bench for the first four Championship games, unable to even get a minute of action under previous boss Nathan Jones, bar the 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat to Newport County.

Although the Welsh international was on target himself, following the game, he cut a disconsolate figure when speaking to the press, admitting he thought his chances of getting his place back in the league side would be impacted by the early exit from the competition.

Into the third year of his spell at Kenilworth Road, where injuries had seen him start just 18 and then 27 matches in the second tier, well down on the kind of numbers he used to be hitting at Charlton Athletic and Bristol Rovers, Lockyer thought his future may lie elsewhere, as speaking this week, he said: “It’s mad isn’t it, the first four games I couldn’t even get a sniff, it was quite a difficult time for me personally.

“I was just a little bit sad as I just wanted to play football and I just couldn’t get in the team, so it was quite a difficult time.

"I had that Newport game when we were out of the cup and I thought that was the end of my chance to force my way in as we went out straight away.

"But for whatever reason I got the chance at Swansea and probably never looked back since.

“I was maybe not worried as much, because I always knew I’m a good player and the levels I’m able to hit, more just maybe that might have to be somewhere else other than here.

"That was probably not a concern, but the overriding thought at the time was if that was going to be the case, as everyone wants to be playing and doing well.

"When that Newport game finished and I scored in it as well, no kneeslide that time, but that was the thought at the time, that’s how it was looking.

"At the end of last season, Nathan probably had his back three in his head and I wasn’t in it, but with the injuries you never know what’s round the corner.

"It was nice it was just four games in the end and not a lot longer as I feel like once I got in the team, I never really looked back and I’ve loved playing.”

Lockyer was back in from the cold for the trip to his home country when Town went to Swansea, producing a terrific performance in a 2-0 win, which has led to a quite monumental turnaround in his fortunes.

He has gone on to start even league game bar two, bizarrely dropped once by Jones for the 2-2 draw against Coventry, a decision the defender still doesn’t quite understand, and then suspended for the 1-0 trip to Birmingham City a few months back under Rob Edwards.

Whether the adversity he suffered at the start has made his stellar form this term even more satisfying, Lockyer said: “You could say that, I don’t really dwell on the past or anything, I’m always looking to the next game, the old cliche.

"There’s no point looking back is there now, whatever’s done is done, you can’t change it, so it doesn’t really bother me too much.

"Football’s about opinions isn’t it, you might not be one person’s cup of tea, but you could be someone else’s.

“Before I joined Luton I think I played the majority of games in every season I’ve been in, and then I came to Luton and I’ve been hampered by a few injuries in my first two seasons which was annoying.

"It’s nice to just be back in the team and know you’re going to have a game every week, which is really nice and something you get to look forward to.

"I know there’s some people who hate training, I actually don’t mind training, I really enjoy getting round the lads and giving it all in training, not just going through the motions.

"That’s until Kev Dearden refs actually, as he was horrendous today!”

Lockyer’s form has not gone unnoticed by his team-mates this season either, as when discussing the centre half earlier in the week, leading scorer Carlton Morris described him as ‘fundamental’ to the Hatters.

On being told that, the former Cardiff youngster said: “That’s nice to hear from big Carl.

"I like to live my life right and do things properly, I don’t want any regrets at the end of my career.

"I don’t want to be the one in the pub saying ‘I wish I’d done that, or I would have done this if I’d have done that,’ life’s not about that for me.

"Life’s like seizing the moment and doing everything in your power to get what you want, and at the minute I want to be performing well for Luton and I want to try and push on for a promotion.

"So if there’s something that’s not going to help me towards that then I’m not going to do it.

"I know the missus doesn’t like that when she’s trying to drag me to the cinema, but that’s the way it is at the minute!”

Meanwhile, those outside of Kenilworth Road have also taken notice of Lockyer’s terrific displays, as he was named in the Championship Team of the Year on Sunday.

On what it was like being picked as one of the two best centre halves in the division alongside Sheffield United’s Anel Ahmedhodzic, he added: “It was a really proud moment for me and my family to get that recognition, fantastic, something that no-one can take away from me.

"I’m really delighted with that, but I couldn’t have done it without the lads, so a massive thank you to them as well.

“This is a fantastic league isn’t it, its been a good season for myself personally and to get that accolade as well is really nice, but there’s a bigger goal with the team which I would trade any individual award for.

“There’s a couple (of Luton players) really unlucky not to get in the team as well.

"For whatever reason it hasn’t happened, but like I said, I think they would trade any individual accolades for the team goal at the end of it.”