The FA have launched a press release following the tragic loss of life of former Arsenal academy star Billy Vigar after he suffered a ‘vital mind harm’ throughout a match.
Vigar was positioned in an induced coma having suffered the harm whereas enjoying for Chichester Metropolis in a match at Wingate and Finchley within the Isthmian League Premier Division final Saturday.
Studies instructed Vigar collided with a pitchside concrete wall whereas making an attempt to maintain the ball in play, with the match subsequently deserted.
After being positioned in a coma, Vigar was operated on by docs in a determined bid to avoid wasting his life on Tuesday, however ‘the harm proved an excessive amount of for him’, his devastated household stated.
A number of followers have since urged footballing authorities to ban concrete partitions round pitches in a bid to enhance the protection of gamers. A petition for ‘Vigar’s Law’, which might implement such a ban, has already garnered greater than 6,000 signatures on the time of writing.
And, commenting on Vigar’s passing and people calls, the FA introduced that they might conduct a evaluate into the usage of concrete partitions round pitches.
The FA have launched a press release following the tragic loss of life of former Arsenal academy star Billy Vigar after he suffered a ‘vital mind harm’ throughout a match
Vigar died on the age of simply 21 on Thursday after colliding right into a concrete hoarding final week
‘We’re deeply saddened by the passing of Billy Vigar,’ the FA’s assertion started.
‘Our ideas and heartfelt condolences are along with his household, associates, family members, and everybody at Chichester Metropolis FC, and tributes shall be paid to Billy at Nationwide League System and Emirates FA Cup video games this weekend.
‘While the well being and security of contributors and spectators on the Nationwide League System degree is the duty of the golf equipment and their native authorities, we’ll now conduct an instantaneous evaluate, working with Leagues, Golf equipment and related stakeholders throughout the sport, that can concentrate on the protection of perimeter partitions and bounds round pitches within the Nationwide League System.
‘This may embrace methods we will help Nationwide League System golf equipment to determine and implement further measures at their stadiums that they decide will assist to mitigate any potential security dangers.’
Since Vigar’s passing, a number of figures from throughout the footballing world have united and known as for enhancements to the protection of stadiums and pitches.
Dorking Wanderers supervisor and YouTube character Mark White was one, describing some pitches in England as ‘deadly’.
‘All golf equipment want the FA to instruct an instantaneous enquiry into pitch surrounds,’ he posted on the Dorking X account on Thursday.
‘Many are harmful and gamers all the time need to be cautious given the proximity from the pitch. However some merely don’t transfer and are deadly. These want eradicating instantly – MW.’
Vigar, who was a ahead, was a part of Arsenal’s Beneath-21s facet as lately as final yr
A number of soccer figures known as for extra to be completed to guard gamers within the wake of Vigar’s passing. Dorking Wanderers boss Mark White joined these calls on Thursday night
He took to Dorking’s X account, describing some pitches in England as ‘deadly’
Considerations concerning the security of pitches have been nevertheless raised and ‘swept beneath the carpet’ greater than two years in the past when Bathtub Metropolis star Alex Fletcher narrowly averted dying in an identical incident, it has been claimed.
The 26-year-old suffered a severe head harm after crashing into concrete promoting hoardings throughout a Nationwide League South recreation in November 2022.
He wanted emergency surgical procedure and was positioned in a coma however fortunately survived.
Fletcher returned to soccer some 10 months later after studying to stroll once more. He nevertheless finally retired from the sport final yr on the age of simply 25 as a result of he ‘did not really feel like the identical participant anymore’.
The previous Bathtub man known as for extra to be completed to guard the protection of gamers as early as 2023.
‘If I had misplaced my life I really feel like extra would have been completed,’ Fletcher instructed the BBC in 2023.
‘Now that I’ve recovered and bought again on the pitch it has been swept beneath the carpet a bit.’
Fletcher took up a task with the PFA of their Mind Well being division following his harm in a bid to pressure change.
Vigar (left) pictured enjoying for Eastbourne Borough in opposition to Torquay United in 2024
‘I will not cease,’ he added, ‘I am going to guarantee that with my new function with the PFA I am going to hold driving for change to enhance participant security as a result of for me it was nearly the top.
‘Fortunately it wasn’t, however there’s not so much that is modified in grounds up and down the nation.’
Whereas Fletcher was recovering, the PFA and the Minister for Sport, Stuart Andrew MP, despatched a letter to the leagues and FA setting out expectations over the steering which might be given to golf equipment to forestall additional incidents.
‘Collectively, soccer ought to do the whole lot it could to ensure incidents like Alex Fletcher’s don’t occur. This can be a step in the suitable path and we admire the Minister’s assist,’ a press release from the PFA on the time learn.
Only a month earlier than Vigar’s loss of life, a part of the breeze block wall at Wingate and Finchley collapsed to the facet of one of many objectives, inflicting the membership’s chairman Aron Sharpe to hit out on the Dulwich Hamlet away supporters.
In the meantime, the petition gaining traction following Vigar’s passing reads: ‘We, soccer lovers, urgently name for the elimination of brick partitions and different laborious, immovable constructions surrounding soccer pitches.
‘Billy’s passing just isn’t an remoted incident—numerous gamers in any respect ranges have suffered severe accidents, together with damaged bones, concussions, and life-altering trauma, because of these harmful boundaries.
‘Many pitches, particularly at grassroots and group degree, stay bordered by stable brick partitions positioned only some ft from the touchline. These partitions serve no important sporting objective, but they create an plain and avoidable hazard.
Former Bathtub Metropolis star Alex Fletcher nearly died after colliding with pitchside hoardings greater than two years in the past. He was positioned right into a coma and was efficiently operated on
‘Golf equipment, native councils, and sports activities authorities have a authorized and ethical obligation to offer a secure setting. Permitting hazardous constructions to stay as soon as the hazard is understood is a breach of that responsibility.
‘Billy Vigar’s loss of life 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.’
Saying his passing on Thursday, Chichester Metropolis, who’ve postponed their recreation in opposition to Lewes on the weekend, paid tribute to the 21-year-old in a press release.
It learn: ‘It’s with nice unhappiness that Chichester Metropolis Soccer Membership has to substantiate the passing of Billy Vigar.’ Individually, they stated: ‘Relaxation in peace Billy. Perpetually 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 vital expertise, Billy will all the time be remembered for his love of the sport, satisfaction at representing our soccer membership – he as soon as known as the day he was noticed by our scouts as ‘crucial of his life’ – and a personality beloved by teammates and coaches alike.
‘Billy went on to seem 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 employees and his staff.
‘Our deepest condolences exit to the Vigar household and his many associates at this extraordinarily tough time.
A press release from Vigar’s household learn: ‘After sustaining a major mind harm final Saturday, Billy Vigar was put in an induced coma.
‘On Tuesday he wanted an operation to help any probabilities 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 beloved inside the sport.
‘His household are devastated that this has occurred while he was enjoying the game that he beloved.’
