Former Arsenal striker Billy Vigar tragically passed away aged 21 in September after colliding with a concrete wall while playing for Chichester City at Wingate & Finchley FC
Billy Vigar of Arsenal during the Arsenal U21 photocall at London Colney on August 15, 2022
Billy Vigar passed away in September(Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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The grieving family of former Arsenal striker Billy Vigar, who died in September after colliding with a wall during a non-league match, have been told that the inquest into his death will be lengthy.
Vigar passed away aged 21 having suffered a significant brain injury while playing for Chichester City at Wingate & Finchley FC. He hit into a concrete wall while trying to keep the ball in play at the Wingate & Finchley stadium on September 20.
Following his death, the Football Association said it would review the perimeter walls and boundaries of non-league football pitches. Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police and Barnet Council are both conducting their own investigations into what happened.
A pre-inquest hearing was held at Barnet Coroner's Court on Tuesday morning where senior coroner Andrew Walker warned Vigar's family that it "will not be a short process". BBC News reports that Walker asked the Met to ensure "the nature of the contact between the two players involved" was included in their investigation.
Obi Oranu, service manager for commercial environmental health at Barnet Council, said the concrete wall at the stadium had been removed. He is looking into potential health and safety breaches at Wingate & Finchley FC.
The Met's Det Supt Colin Chandler said their investigation would take four to six weeks and required the cooperation of the FA.
The Professional Footballers' Association is also conducting its own investigation into the tragedy. Ben Wright, from the PFA, said walls around pitches had been "an issue of player safety for our wider membership", which his union had been working to resolve "for a number of years".
flowers are placed below the mural of Billy Vigar in the tunnel at Hornsey Road
Tributes were paid to Billy Vigar after his death(Image: Offside via Getty Images)
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In a statement back in September, the FA confirmed it was reviewing the issue. "We are deeply saddened by the passing of Billy Vigar," their statement read.
"Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with his family, friends, loved ones, and everyone at Chichester City FC, and tributes will be paid to Billy at National League System and Emirates FA Cup games this weekend.
"Whilst the health and safety of participants and spectators at the National League System level is the responsibility of the clubs and their local authorities, we will now conduct an immediate review, working with Leagues, Clubs and relevant stakeholders across the game, that will focus on the safety of perimeter walls and boundaries around pitches in the National League System.
"This will include looking at ways we can assist National League System clubs to identify and implement additional measures at their stadiums that they determine will help to mitigate any potential safety risks."
The review comes after Bath City player Alex Fletcher collided with concrete advertising hoardings in November 2022 while in the National League South. Fletcher underwent emergency surgery and was left in a coma but did later return to playing before retiring.