Troy Deeney relives tragic incident that saw teammate, 18, die of heart attack

Troy Deeney relives tragic incident that saw teammate, 18, die of heart attack

Troy Deeney’s former Walsall teammate Anton Reid died in a horrific training ground incident when he was just 18 years old. Alongside Deeney, the club’s center of excellence member, the promising defender tragically died in the middle of training after suffering a heart attack in 2007. Now, as part of Sky Bet’s Every Minute Matters campaign, Watford legend Deeney explains how that incident has become a major driving force.

In an exclusive interview with Mirror Football, he stated: “My grandfather died of a heart attack 14 years ago. After his cancer went into remission, he tragically passed away from a heart attack. Second, we had a young man named Anton Reid, who was eighteen at the time, while I was at Walsall in 2007. We were also undergoing training.

His physical attributes were his strongest suit, and he was a very healthy and fit youngster. He recently died of a heart attack while in training. You may observe the effects those things have on the city and the family.

“It definitely resonates with me. Everyone knows someone who has experienced its effects.

Sky Bet has already exceeded their goal of teaching 270,000 football fans CPR as part of the campaign. Deeney is also realistic about the number of lives that could be spared.

“The one that hits home is Tom Lockyer at Luton,” he continued. You ask yourself, “Oh my god, how does that happen?” when you witness him at the height of his physical prowess, descend down, and perform on the largest platform.

“We talk a lot about players, but how often do we witness games being halted due to stadium problems? I believe the message has grown even more.

Since hanging up his boots in 2024, Deeney has transitioned into both punditry and coaching to varied success.  He had a difficult tenure as manager of Forest Green Rovers, but he is not overly committed to going back to the dugout anytime soon.

“I just want to see what the next 36 years of life have in store for me,” Deeney stated. Although I’ve experienced a lot of negative, life is fantastic at the moment. I’m just going to have fun now. I don’t really care that people don’t like that.

“I’m just trying to promote enjoyment. Just spread a little bit of joy, you know, that’s what I’m working on.”

Three of Deeney’s former clubs may be celebrating promotions at the end of the season, which is an interesting turn of events. Walsall and Forest Green may still be moving up for the upcoming season, but Birmingham has already guaranteed an immediate return to the Championship.

Deeney was asked if he missed putting on his boots after making a joke about how he is the only one pushing for the promotion. He gave a direct response. “Definitely not.

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