Lakyle Samuel is reflecting on his dad, and what might have been, and what will never be. It is one of football’s most tragic and haunting tales.
‘I wish he was still around,’ he says, after a short pause. ‘As I’ve got older, it has hit me more. It is tough because you want that support – you don’t really know what to think or how to deal with things on and off the pitch.’
Lakyle’s loss is one that touches many in their lifetime, but strikes few in such shattering fashion.
His father Jlloyd, formerly a left-back for Aston Villa and Bolton, died in a car crash on May 15, 2018. A footballer once popular for his smile and vibrancy had to be identified by his dental records after his Range Rover burst into flames and left little behind to recognise. The autopsy revealed he was drink-driving but nobody is sure how the diesel car was set ablaze.
The circumstances surrounding his life and death aged 37 remain mystifying. A few years earlier, after opportunities in England ran dry, Jlloyd had taken a contract with Esteghlal in Iran. There, after repeated infidelity down the years, he converted to Islam and took a second wife behind his family’s back.
That lady, a fashion designer called Helia Sahimi, insists that Jlloyd is alive. So does his sister, Leslie-Ann, who accuses Lakyle’s mum, Emma, of faking his death to carry out insurance fraud.
Lakyle Samuel is reflecting on his dad, and what might have been, and what will never be. It is one of football’s most tragic and haunting tales
Lakyle, 20, is on loan at Exeter City from Manchester City. His father, Jlloyd, was a left-back for Aston Villa and Bolton Wanderers, and died in a car crash in 2018
Lakyle’s loss is one that touches many in their lifetime, but strikes few in such shattering fashion
Apart from the body not being visually identifiable, all the evidence points to Jlloyd being dead. Lakyle had been in the same car not long before on the school run.
Within hours, he was pulled out of class for an ‘appointment’. Arriving home and seeing all the cars, his first thought was that a party had been organised.
Even after his mother took him aside to deliver the heartbreaking news, he says he couldn’t emotionally process it.
It is an unimaginably painful experience, but there is no hint of bitterness in Lakyle. His warmth and humility are immediately obvious when we meet at Exeter City’s training ground, where he is on loan from Manchester City.
Aged just 20, he has already trained with the England and Manchester City senior teams after being a captain at youth level. His future looks bright, and that is credit to his resilience after life dealt him such a devastating hand.
‘I’ve got memories of playing football in the garden with dad, him doing drills with me in the hallway,’ he recalls. ‘He’s influenced me a lot. My mum tells me what he did in the past. I just want to be the best person I can be.
‘He was a great person to a lot of people. They say he was the life of the party and whenever I meet someone who knew him, they speak really highly of him. I take that on. I always want to be a bubbly character and as nice as possible.
‘I just hope he’s proud. I’ve given a lot to get where I am, especially going through that. It’s tough to deal with.
Jlloyd represented England at three youth levels and received a lone senior call-up in 2004, before switching allegiances to Trinidad and Tobago in 2009
Jlloyd took a secret second wife in Iran, fashion designer Helia Sahimi, and converted to Islam
A tribute to mark his death from former club Villa, where Jlloyd came through as a trainee and went on to make 200 senior appearances
‘I just try and block it out (conspiracies about him). It doesn’t have much to do with my life. I’ve had my experiences with him and if other people want to say other stuff, I’m not too bothered.
‘I’ve had what I’ve had with him and it’s not going to change my point of view on him. He gave us a really good upbringing. He’s dad, innit?’
Throughout our interview, Lakyle pays tribute to his ‘amazing’ mum Emma, his older brother Javarne, and his younger sister Amara.
Their love has produced a grounded young man – and a player with immense potential. Lakyle often played an age group above in Manchester City’s academy and hopes to make his first-team debut.
‘Kyle Walker was a really good role model,’ he says. ‘He told me some key details on defensive body shape. The level of detail Pep (Guardiola) goes into is mad. It raises your game because you have to be on it. I’d go and train with them quite a bit.’
Last October, England came calling. The right-back was on international duty with the Under 20s when it transpired that Thomas Tuchel needed some extra bodies for training.
’I only knew about half an hour before!’ he says. ‘The tempo of the session was high because they’re the best players in the country. I didn’t feel I did too bad! I was really proud to have that experience.’
His loan with Exeter, his second in League Two after a stint with Bromley last season, has been a challenge with the Grecians off to a slow start. But Lakyle describes the experience as ‘excellent’ and is embracing the rigorous demands of life in the fourth tier.
Throughout our interview, Lakyle pays tribute to his ‘amazing’ mum Emma (left)
Lakyle is thriving on loan in Devon and is pushing to one day make his first-team debut for City
Who knows, given Manchester City’s present self-inflicted strife, they may need willing men in the lower leagues soon enough. They’d be hard-pressed to find a better lad than Lakyle
‘The speed of the game is quick, end-to-end, very direct. For me defensively it’s tough at times because it’s very long-ball and I didn’t really have that at City – we were always in control of games,’ he says.
‘My mum has always told me that football is taxing and you always need to be mentally on it. I’ve realised that.
‘You don’t realise how high-quality it is in League Two. And it’s good to get different experiences on your CV. I want to progress higher up the leagues, but if I end up staying in this league, I’ll cement myself as a good professional.’
Who knows, given Manchester City’s present self-inflicted strife, they may need willing men in the lower leagues soon enough. They’d be hard-pressed to find a better lad than Lakyle.
