One year after the tragedy, calls for improved safety measures in football intensify
Category: Health
Billy Vigar, a 21-year-old former Arsenal academy player, died on September 25, 2025, five days after suffering a severe brain injury when he collided with a concrete wall during a match for Chichester City against Wingate and Finchley FC in north London. His death has sparked renewed calls for enhanced safety regulations in football, as his family accuses the Football Association (FA) of failing to act on previous warnings about dangerous playing conditions.
In their first interview since their son’s passing, Camilla and Keith Vigar expressed their grief and anger over the circumstances surrounding Billy’s death. "You swing from sadness to anger because you just feel it could have been prevented," Camilla Vigar told BBC Sport. The family believes the FA had ample opportunity to prevent such tragedies, citing past incidents where players suffered serious injuries due to inadequate safety measures.
In 2015, amateur footballer Ben Hiscox died after colliding with a clubhouse near Bristol, prompting a coroner to warn the FA about the risks posed by similar structures. Following this, Stoke Gifford United added padding to their clubhouse and increased the run-off area between the building and the pitch. Yet, the Vigars argue that the FA’s response to subsequent incidents has been insufficient, particularly in light of Alex Fletcher's serious injury in 2022, which left him with a fractured skull after hitting concrete barriers at Bath City’s ground.
"Billy had his whole life ahead of him. He was 21 years old and he lost it playing football when he didn't need to," Camilla Vigar said, emphasizing her frustration with the FA's inaction. She highlighted that Wingate and Finchley was identified as a high-risk club following Fletcher's accident, yet no apparent changes were made before Billy played there. "As far as I’m aware, nothing was done with that information and it just sat there," she stated.
Following Vigar's death, the FA conducted a safety review of more than 900 clubs, which led to updated stadium criteria prohibiting solid brick, breeze block, or concrete barriers around pitches. The FA announced that 169 clubs in the men's National League System and Women's National League were notified to make changes "as soon as is reasonably practicable." Where structural walls exist, they must now be covered with suitable protection, such as padding.
Funding for these changes is being provided by the FA and the Premier League. Many clubs have welcomed the updates, with Bromsgrove Sporting near Birmingham stating that the changes were "completely understandable and long overdue." The club expressed gratitude for the full funding from the FA and indicated a desire to complete the necessary work by Christmas.
Some clubs, such as Sheppey United in Kent, which also has concrete walls, acknowledged the need for remedial work but voiced concerns about the reactive nature of the changes. A representative from Sheppey United noted, "There is always an element of risk in all sports and they can't all be mitigated, unfortunately in this case, the remedial works are more a reactive response rather than a proactive one."
Keith Vigar, who works in the health and safety industry, stressed the importance of workplace safety, stating, "You don't go to work and expect to get injured, let alone even die at work in the workplace." He and his wife are advocating for the safety regulations to be extended beyond the current levels to encompass all organized football.
Alex Fletcher, who suffered life-changing injuries, echoed this sentiment, criticizing the FA for acting only after Billy’s tragic accident. "It wasn't until Billy's passing that [the FA] came to the table on this issue," he stated. Fletcher is concerned that unsafe pitch perimeters may still exist in lower levels of the game, calling for immediate action from authorities.
As the Vigar family marks the one-year anniversary of their son's death, they are focused on honoring his memory through a charity climb of Snowdon with their children and Billy's girlfriend's family. "I think it just gives us something to focus on and gives us a challenge to do," Keith Vigar said. They hope that by raising awareness, they can prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Chichester City FC has shown support for the family, even designing a kit that subtly references Billy. The Vigars are still awaiting an inquest into their son's death, which is expected to take place next year. They are determined to seek accountability and answers about the circumstances that led to their son's tragic accident.
The FA has stated that it will continue to support clubs in implementing the new safety measures, but the Vigars remain skeptical about the effectiveness of these changes. They want to see a comprehensive approach to safety that protects all players, regardless of the level of play.
As the family reflects on their loss, they hope that their advocacy will lead to meaningful changes in football safety regulations, ensuring that no other family has to endure the pain they have experienced. The Vigars' story serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of prioritizing player safety in all levels of the sport.