Parents of former Arsenal academy player say FA could have prevented son's death

The parents of Billy Vigar, a former Arsenal academy player who died last year from a "significant brain injury" after colliding with a concrete wall surrounding a football pitch, have accused the Football Association (FA) of inaction. Camilla and Keith Vigar stated in their first broadcast interview that the FA could have prevented their 21-year-old son's death.

Billy Vigar was playing for Chichester City at Wingate and Finchley FC in north London when the incident occurred five days before his death. His parents believe the FA ignored previous warnings and similar incidents, including the death of amateur footballer Ben Hiscox in 2015 and the career-ending injury of Alex Fletcher in 2022, both involving collisions with pitch-side structures.

"You swing from sadness to anger because you just feel it could have been prevented," Camilla Vigar told BBC Sport. "[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."

Following Fletcher's injury in 2022, the FA conducted a review of clubs. Camilla Vigar expressed concern that the information gathered was not acted upon, and that Wingate and Finchley, identified as a high-risk club, was among those highlighted.

At the time of Billy Vigar's accident, the FA's stadium accreditation criteria permitted "permanent" barriers around pitches, including those made of concrete. However, in light of Vigar's death, the FA launched a safety review and updated its stadium criteria last month. The revised rules now "no longer permit solid brick, breeze block or concrete barriers around pitches." Approximately 169 clubs in the men's National League System and women's National League have been notified of the need for changes.

The FA is providing funding, along with the Premier League, to assist clubs with the necessary modifications. Bromsgrove Sporting, which has a concrete wall around its pitch, called the changes "completely understandable and long overdue" and expressed gratitude for the full funding.

Sheppey United, which has concrete supporting walls on two sides of its pitch, stated that the remedial works are a reactive response. Bath City, where Alex Fletcher was injured, welcomed the ruling and acknowledged the need for available funding to support clubs in implementing the changes.

Keith Vigar, Billy's father, who works in health and safety, emphasized that people do not expect to be injured or die at work. The Vigar family is advocating for the new regulations to be extended to all levels of football, not just those covered by the current update. Alex Fletcher also expressed concern that the ban on certain barriers might not apply to all levels of the game and called for this to be urgently explored.

Billy Vigar joined the football system later than many young players but was scouted by Arsenal for his academy. His former manager at Chichester City FC, Darin Kilpatrick, described him as highly coachable and a promising striker who likely would have progressed to the National League or English Football League.

The Vigar family awaits an inquest into their son's death, expected next year. To mark the one-year anniversary of the accident, they plan to climb Snowdon with their children and Billy's girlfriend's family.