Former Arsenal academy striker Billy Vigar dies at 21 after brain injury during Isthmian League match

Billy Vigar, a former Arsenal academy striker, has died aged 21 after sustaining a significant brain injury during a match in the Isthmian League Premier Division.

Vigar, from Worthing, was injured during an away fixture at Wingate & Finchley on Saturday. It is believed the incident involved a collision with a concrete wall as he attempted to play the ball, though Wingate & Finchley and the league have not confirmed the exact cause. He was placed in an induced coma after the injury, and an operation was performed on Tuesday to aid recovery, but the damage proved fatal and he died on Thursday morning.

The family said they were devastated that this happened while he was playing the sport he loved. In a statement, they said: "After sustaining a significant brain injury last Saturday, Billy Vigar was put into an induced coma. On Tuesday, he needed an operation to aid any chances of recovery. Although this helped, the injury proved too much for him and he passed away on Thursday morning. The responses to the original update show how much Billy was loved within the sport."

Vigar was a graduate of the Arsenal academy and had spells with Derby County, Hastings FC and Eastbourne Borough. He joined Chichester City from Hastings this summer and had spent the 2022/23 season on loan to Derby County’s academy, making several Under-21 appearances. Eastbourne Borough noted that the 21-year-old also appeared for The Sports on loan during the 2023/24 season, tallying 32 appearances for the club.

Tributes flowed from across football after the news of his passing emerged. The Football Association said it was devastated to hear the news and offered condolences to Vigar’s family, friends and all at Chichester City FC. Derby County also expressed its sorrow, recalling that Vigar spent the second half of the 2022/23 season on loan from Arsenal and appeared for their Under-21s. Eastbourne Borough joined in, highlighting his time with the club and offering sympathies to his relatives.

Chichester City FC announced the death on Thursday evening and confirmed that their match against Lewes would be postponed in light of the tragedy. The club had previously posted updates on Vigar’s condition, describing the situation as an ongoing, long road to recovery.

More information is expected to be released by the club and the league as authorities review the incident and his medical status.