The family of former Arsenal youth player Billy Vigar have been told that the investigation into his tragic death will be a lengthy process. Vigar, a 21-year-old striker, died in September after colliding with a concrete wall while playing for Chichester City.
A Tragic Incident on the Pitch
The fatal accident occurred on September 20 during a match at the Wingate & Finchley FC stadium. Vigar suffered a significant brain injury after hitting the perimeter wall while attempting to keep the ball in play. He was pronounced dead shortly after the incident, sending shockwaves through the football community.
At a pre-inquest hearing held at Barnet Coroner's Court on Tuesday, senior coroner Andrew Walker directly addressed Vigar's grieving family. He warned them that the process to determine the exact circumstances of his death "will not be a short process." The hearing revealed that multiple agencies are involved in the probe.
Multiple Investigations Underway
Three separate investigations are currently examining the tragedy. The Metropolitan Police, led by Det Supt Colin Chandler, confirmed their inquiry would take four to six weeks and requires cooperation from the Football Association. Coroner Walker specifically asked the Met to include "the nature of the contact between the two players involved" in their findings.
Simultaneously, Barnet Council is investigating potential health and safety breaches at the Wingate & Finchley ground. Obi Oranu, the council's service manager for commercial environmental health, confirmed the concrete wall involved had already been removed. Furthermore, The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) is conducting its own review, citing long-standing concerns about pitch perimeter safety.
Football's Wider Safety Review
In response to Vigar's death, the Football Association immediately launched a review of perimeter walls and boundaries at non-league grounds. The FA stated that while health and safety at this level is the responsibility of individual clubs and local authorities, they would work with stakeholders to identify and implement additional safety measures.
Ben Wright of the PFA emphasised that unsafe walls around pitches have been "an issue of player safety for our wider membership for a number of years." This tragedy echoes a similar incident in November 2022, when Bath City's Alex Fletcher suffered life-changing injuries after colliding with concrete advertising hoardings.
As the legal and sporting investigations continue, the football world mourns a young talent lost in profoundly sad circumstances. The outcome of these probes is likely to lead to significant changes in safety standards across non-league football in the UK.
