FA to Review Safety of Pitch-Side Walls After Death of Former Arsenal Youth Player Billy Vigar
The Football Association (FA) has announced an urgent safety review of perimeter walls at football grounds in the National League system, following the tragic death of 21-year-old Billy Vigar.
Vigar, a former Arsenal youth striker, passed away on Thursday after suffering a serious brain injury while playing for Chichester City in a match at Wingate & Finchley FC last Saturday.
It is believed the injury may have happened when he collided with a concrete wall, although this has not been officially confirmed by the club.
A petition calling for a ban on brick or concrete walls around football pitches has already gained over 4,000 signatures.
FA Responds with Immediate Action
In a statement, the FA said:
“We will now carry out an immediate review, working with leagues, clubs and other key people in the game, to look at the safety of walls and barriers around pitches in the National League system.”
The FA added that the review would also explore how to help clubs make changes at their grounds to reduce risks and improve safety for players.
PFA and Others Call for Change
The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) also called for a full investigation, saying no player should face “unnecessary and avoidable risk”.
PFA chief executive Maheta Molango said:
“It’s important to make sure we haven’t missed any chance to make football grounds safer. Our thoughts are with Billy’s family and friends. Players should always feel safe when they go out to play or train.”
This is not the first time concerns have been raised. In June 2023, the government and PFA wrote to football authorities, including the FA and Premier League, urging them to take player safety more seriously — especially after Bath City’s Alex Fletcher fractured his skull in a similar incident in 2022.
Brain Injury Charity Urges Action
Luke Griggs, CEO of brain injury charity Headway, told BBC Sport:
“This tragedy is even harder to accept because the warnings were there. Action must be taken — we can’t allow this to happen again.”
He also called for football’s biggest organisations to help fund safety improvements at smaller clubs.
“We need support from the FA, PFA, local councils, and sponsors. While long-term solutions are found, even padding existing concrete walls would help. With the amount of money in football, this issue cannot be ignored.”
Remembering Billy Vigar
Billy Vigar came through Arsenal’s academy and left the club in 2024. He also played for Derby County, Eastbourne Borough, and Hastings United.
Speaking about the tragedy, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said:
“It’s shocking news. Straight away, your thoughts go to his family. Hopefully we can understand what went wrong and stop it from happening again. It’s really sad, and our hearts go out to everyone who knew him.”
The football community continues to pay tribute to Vigar, while calls for improved safety measures grow louder across the country
