Motivated by loss, Troy Deeney cycled 42km to raise awareness of heart attacks and CPR training after Anton Reid’s sudden death at 18.
Since retiring in summer 2024, Troy Deeney has redirected his competitive spirit toward a cause that hits close to home. The former Watford striker set a personal challenge off the pitch: cycling 42 km from Brisbane Road to Vicarage Road. He took on this ride as part of Sky Bet’s Every Minute Matters campaign. Deeney wants to turn football fans into first responders with basic CPR skills. At 36, he knows that quick action can save lives. The campaign already taught 270,000 supporters lifesaving techniques across the UK.
The cause resonates deeply with Deeney after a heart-wrenching loss at Walsall. In 2007, his teammate Anton Reid collapsed at 18 during training. Reid suffered a fatal heart attack despite appearing fit and healthy. His passing left family, club and city in shock. Deeney channels that memory to drive his advocacy.
Deeney’s connection to heart tragedy runs deeper. Fourteen years ago, he lost his grandfather after cancer remission gave way to a sudden heart attack. That experience left him determined to act. He recalls the pain of watching loved ones suffer in silence. He refuses to let another life end before its time.
Deeney began his 42 km journey at Leyton Orient’s Brisbane Road. He pedalled northwest through busy streets before reaching Watford’s Vicarage Road. The ride mirrored the campaign’s goal to bridge gaps in heart health awareness. He finished the course with a display of stamina familiar to any Premier League athlete. His grit paid tribute to those lost too soon.
Sky Bet set a goal to teach CPR to 270,000 football fans across the country. The scheme quickly surpassed that milestone with workshops at stadiums and community events. Deeney stresses that each minute without help lowers the chance of survival. He believes CPR should rank alongside first aid in fan education programmes. His push aims to make lifesaving skills as common as match-day chants.
Deeney points to Luton Town defender Tom Lockyer as another wake-up call. Lockyer collapsed at 28 from cardiac arrest during a Championship match in front of thousands. Watching that event on live TV shocked fans worldwide. It proved that heart issues can strike any athlete in peak form. Deeney urges clubs to back stronger medical protocols and wider CPR training.
After calling time on his 18-year playing career in 2024, Deeney turned to punditry and coaching. He took charge of Forest Green Rovers in League Two but left after a challenging spell. The experience taught him lessons off the pitch. He has no plans to return to the dugout anytime soon. Instead, he will focus on community work and spreading positivity.
In a twist, three of Deeney’s former clubs eye promotion this term. Birmingham City sealed an instant return to the Championship. Forest Green Rovers chase a top-three finish in League One. Walsall sit just outside League Two’s play-off spots. Deeney joked that their success feels like a win for him too.
Few moments shine brighter than Deeney’s 2013 play-off semi-final goal against Leicester City. Seized just moments after Manuel Almunia saved Anthony Knockaert’s spot-kick, he raced upfield and buried the winner. He was 24 years old at the time, still wearing the captain’s armband. Now his five-year-old son and young daughters relive the viral celebration at home. That memory powerfully connects football’s highs and lows.
One year later, Deeney held talks with Claudio Ranieri and Wes Morgan over a potential move to Leicester City. Walsall’s sell-on clause ultimately scuppered the deal moments before completion. He admits he wondered “what if” about a Champions League journey and an England call-up. Yet Deeney insists he has no regrets. His 18-year run went beyond every expectation, and now he channels that passion into heart health advocacy.
