Tom Lockyer (footballer)


Thomas Alun Lockyer is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a centre back for club Charlton Athletic and the Wales national team.

Club career

Bristol Rovers

Lockyer was born and raised in Cardiff, Glamorgan. He joined Cardiff City as a youth aged 11, but was released aged 16, as Cardiff deemed him to be too small to play his preferred position of centre-back. Lockyer then signed a scholarship for Bristol Rovers in 2011 and went on to make his debut on 12 January 2013, replacing Ellis Harrison, 85 minutes into a 3–0 win over Fleetwood Town at Highbury Stadium. He made his home debut 2 months later on 12 March 2013, replacing Oliver Norburn in the 74th minute in a 2–0 win over Port Vale. He signed his first professional contract in May 2013, after making his previous appearances whilst still a youth team player.
Lockyer scored his first league goal in a 1–0 win for Bristol Rovers over Northampton Town on 31 August 2013.
On 17 March 2014, Lockyer signed a new two-year contract extension with Rovers. After Rovers were relegated out of League Two in the 2013–14 season, Lockyer became a very important part of a very successful season after seeing the club get promoted first time of asking. In that season he managed to score one goal vs Grimsby Town. As Rovers returned to League Two, he was a first-team regular and was rewarded by being named the Football League Young Player of the Month for December 2015 after consistent good performances.
He made his 200th appearance for Rovers on 19 August 2017, in a 3–2 victory over Bury, in which he scored the opener.
He departed Bristol Rovers following the expiration of his contract at the end of the 2018–19 season.

Charlton Athletic

On 28 June 2019, Lockyer joined Charlton Athletic on a two-year deal.

International career

In October 2015, Lockyer made his Wales under-21 debut in a 0–0 draw against Denmark.
Lockyer was called up to the Welsh senior team in June 2017, remaining an unused substitute during a 1–1 draw with Serbia. He received his second call-up for the senior squad on 25 August 2017, for the upcoming qualifiers against Austria and Moldova. He made his debut for the senior team on 14 November 2017 as a half-time substitute during a 1–1 draw with Panama.

Career statistics

Club

International

Honours

Bristol Rovers
Individual