PFA, Arteta react to Billy Vigar death; call for full investigation into ground safety

Former Arsenal youth player Billy Vigar died on Thursday after sustaining a significant brain injury while playing for Chichester City at Wingate and Finchley FC last Saturday. The 21-year-old collapsed during the match and died in hospital, with authorities and family awaiting the full results of investigations into the incident. Vigar’s death has prompted a renewed call for heightened safety measures at football grounds, including the removal or reinforcement of hard barriers such as concrete walls that surround pitches.

Vigar’s injury occurred during a game at Wingate and Finchley FC, though the club has not publicly confirmed definitive details of what caused the contact that led to the injury. It is understood that the blow occurred near a hard boundary, prompting questions about whether ground design contributed to the tragedy. A petition demanding a ban on brick or concrete walls around pitches has drawn more than 4,000 signatures in the wake of the incident, underscoring widespread concern among players, families and football bodies about safety at non-league venues that host rising talents.

The Professional Footballers’ Association, which represents players across the sport, said there must be a full, transparent investigation to establish the full circumstances and prevent a recurrence. PFA chief executive Maheta Molango stated that it is vital to ensure opportunities to make grounds safer for players have not been missed and that players should not be put at unnecessary and avoidable risk by factors beyond their control. He added that, while investigations must run their course, grounds safety should be reviewed proactively to prevent similar incidents in the future. In June 2023, the government and the PFA wrote to the Football Association, the Premier League, the English Football League and the National League urging a more proactive approach to player safety in this area, including concerns raised by previous injuries.

“Clearly there needs to be a formal investigation into the incident and it is right that this is allowed to take place so that the full circumstances can be properly established,” Molango said. “All of our thoughts right now are with Billy’s family and friends, and providing whatever support we can to them. All footballers should expect to be safe when they go out to play or train and to not be put at unnecessary and avoidable risk by factors beyond their control. Whilst it is important that a proper investigation is allowed to conclude, we have to ensure that opportunities to make grounds safer for players have not been missed and that players don’t feel that serious incidents involving their safety are necessary to prompt change.”

BBC Sport has contacted the Football Association for comment as authorities determine next steps in the inquiry and review process.

Vigar was a graduate of the Arsenal academy, leaving the club in 2024, and had spells at Derby County, Eastbourne Borough and Hastings United along the way. His former clubs and teammates have described him as a promising young talent who was training and playing with professional intent at the time of his passing. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta spoke publicly after the news broke, saying: “It is shocking news. Straight away you’re thinking about the family, and how difficult it is to go through something like this in a very unexpected way. Hopefully they can understand how it happened, and why it happened, and obviously try to avoid this kind of thing. Really sad news, and our thoughts are with the family and all his loved ones.”

The PFA’s response and Arteta’s statements reflect a broader concern within English football about the safety of venues that host lower-league and youth matches. The calls for action come after a series of incidents in recent years involving injuries from collisions with structural elements at pitches. Advocates argue that safer barriers should be standard at all levels of football to protect players who are still climbing the ranks and depend on these venues to develop their careers.

Vigar’s death adds to a fragile period for football grounds, where the balance between cost, accessibility and safety continues to be tested. Officials have acknowledged the need for ongoing safety reviews, and clubs across the football pyramid are under pressure to demonstrate that they are taking practical steps to reduce risk. The timing of the ongoing inquiries means that, in the near term, the sport may see renewed scrutiny of barriers, signage, and the proximity of hard surfaces to playing fields.

As families, teammates and coaching staff cope with the loss, the football community awaits the results of formal investigations and the industry-wide response that could lead to stricter safety standards. The ultimate goal, officials say, is to ensure that every player can compete and train with confidence that the environment around the pitch minimizes preventable danger. The tragedy also serves as a reminder of the vulnerable position of non-professional and semi-professional clubs within the wider football ecosystem, and the need for consistent safety practices across all levels of the game.