Soccer followers have launched a petition to ban brick partitions being positioned subsequent to pitches after a non-league participant tragically died after colliding right into a concrete hoarding.
Former Arsenal academy star Billy Vigar, 21, died on Thursday after struggling a ‘important mind harm’ taking part in for Chichester Metropolis final Saturday. He was positioned in a coma and operated on however docs couldn’t save him.
Chichester had been taking part in away at Wingate and Finchley within the London borough of Barnet, whose stadium has a brick wall operating alongside the pitch. It’s believed Vigar collided with the wall after making an attempt to maintain the ball in play.
Solely final month, a part of the breeze block wall collapsed to the aspect of one of many objectives, inflicting the membership’s chairman Aron Sharpe to hit out at Dulwich Hamlet followers.
And supporters really feel that Vigar’s dying was avoidable. A petition for ‘Vigar’s Regulation,’ banning brick partitions round pitches, garnered greater than 1,000 signatures on Thursday evening inside hours of Chichester Metropolis asserting the ahead’s dying.
‘We, soccer lovers, urgently name for the removing of brick partitions and different laborious, immovable buildings surrounding soccer pitches,’ the petition on Change.org reads.
Followers need brick partitions round pitches to be banned after Chichester Metropolis star Billy Vigar reportedly hit his head on one
Wingate and Finchley’s floor has a breeze block wall close to the pitch, and Vigar suffered ‘important mind injury’ resulting in his dying
Folks have been putting flowers exterior Chichester Metropolis’s stadium in reminiscence of Vigar
‘Billy’s passing just isn’t an remoted incident—numerous gamers in any respect ranges have suffered critical accidents, together with damaged bones, concussions, and life-altering trauma, on account of these harmful boundaries.
‘Many pitches, particularly at grassroots and group degree, stay bordered by strong brick partitions positioned just a few ft from the touchline. These partitions serve no important sporting objective, but they create an plain and avoidable hazard.
‘Golf equipment, native councils, and sports activities authorities have a authorized and ethical obligation to offer a protected surroundings. Permitting hazardous buildings to stay as soon as the hazard is thought is a breach of that obligation.
‘Billy Vigar’s dying have to be the final. We owe it to his reminiscence—and to each participant who steps onto a soccer pitch—to make sure that nobody else suffers such a unnecessary tragedy.’
Flowers have been laid exterior Chichester Metropolis’s floor and tributes flooded in from throughout the soccer world, led by his former golf equipment Arsenal, Chichester, Derby County, Eastbourne Borough, and Hastings United.
Non-league golf equipment could argue that partitions assist with crowd management, significantly after they have restricted personnel to steward video games, and that the price of eradicating partitions could possibly be important.
In 2022, a Bathtub Metropolis participant, Alex Fletcher, suffered a number of cranium fractures after a horrifying collision with a concrete promoting hoarding. He was put right into a coma and wanted emergency mind surgical procedure however survived.
On social media, supporters mourned the avoidable circumstances of Vigar’s dying.
Vigar, 21, was a product of Arsenal’s Hale Finish academy and left the membership final yr
Vigar’s household are ‘devastated that this has occurred whereas he was taking part in the game he cherished’
‘Really horrific information. Hopefully Billy Vigar’s legacy is a everlasting shift to security measures at grounds across the nation,’ one mentioned.
One other wrote: ‘It is completely terrible for a 21 yr previous to go and play the sport he loves on a Saturday and lose his life. These grounds ought to have partitions taken down or padding placed on them. Its a tragic accident that was avoidable. RIP younger man.’
One lamented: ‘That Billy Vigar dying is so unhappy as a result of it 100% may have been averted, the FA want to vary the rules round partitions at soccer grounds.’
One other mentioned: ‘One thing must be executed about brick partitions getting used as perimeter fences. They’re unsafe for supporters and much more unsafe for the gamers on the pitch.’
Every day Mail Sport has contacted Wingate & Finchley FC. The FA have additionally been approached for remark however referred to their assertion of condolence and didn’t elaborate.
‘We’re devastated to listen to that Billy Vigar has handed away,’ an FA spokesperson mentioned. ‘We ship our heartfelt condolences to his household, pals, family members, and everybody at Chichester Metropolis FC at this extremely tough time.’
Vigar was a product of Arsenal’s Hale Finish academy, having initially joined on schoolboy phrases aged 14. He signed scholarship phrases in 2020, an expert contract in 2022, and was a part of their under-21s set-up till final yr. In 2024 he joined Hastings United and over the summer season he joined non-league Step 3 aspect Chichester.
He was a part of Arsenal’s under-21s aspect till final yr and loved spells at varied golf equipment
Vigar (left) pictured taking part in for Eastbourne Borough towards Torquay United in 2024
Chichester Metropolis, who’ve postponed their recreation towards Lewes on the weekend, wrote on X on Thursday night: ‘It’s with nice disappointment that Chichester Metropolis Soccer Membership has to verify the passing of Billy Vigar.’ Individually, they mentioned: ‘Relaxation in peace Billy. Without end within the hearts of all at Chichester Metropolis Soccer Membership.’
Arsenal wrote on their web site: ‘Everybody at Arsenal Soccer Membership is deeply sorry to listen to of the tragic passing of Chichester Metropolis ahead and former Arsenal academy participant, Billy Vigar.
‘In addition to his important expertise, Billy will all the time be remembered for his love of the sport, pleasure at representing our soccer membership – he as soon as known as the day he was noticed by our scouts as ’an important of his life’ – and a personality beloved by teammates and coaches alike.
‘Billy went on to look for us within the PL2 and EFL Trophy and proved to be an asset throughout the ahead positions and even deputised in defence – his versatility illustrating his dedication to the teaching workers and his crew.
‘Our deepest condolences exit to the Vigar household and his many pals at this extraordinarily tough time.
A press release from his household learn: ‘After sustaining a big mind harm final Saturday, Billy Vigar was put in an induced coma.
‘On Tuesday he wanted an operation to assist any possibilities of restoration. Though this helped, the harm proved an excessive amount of for him and he handed away on Thursday morning.
‘The responses to the unique replace present how a lot Billy was considered and cherished inside the sport.
‘His household are devastated that this has occurred while he was taking part in the game that he cherished.’
