Former Arsenal youth player Billy Vigar dies at 21 after on-field brain injury
The young striker suffered a severe head injury during a match for Chichester City and died in hospital days later.
Billy Vigar, a 21-year-old former Arsenal academy player, has died after sustaining a major brain injury during a match with Chichester City. Despite surgery and intensive care, he passed away on Thursday morning.
Vigar, who joined Chichester City in the Isthmian League Premier Division this season, collided with a concrete wall while playing last Saturday. He was rushed to hospital and placed in an induced coma. Doctors carried out surgery in an attempt to aid his recovery, but his injuries proved fatal.
Club and family statements
Chichester City confirmed his death in a public statement, asking for privacy for his family. The club also postponed their upcoming fixture against Lewes.
His family, speaking through the club, said:
“After sustaining a significant brain injury last Saturday, Billy Vigar was put in an induced coma. On Tuesday, he needed an operation to aid any chances of recovery. Although this helped, the injury proved too much for him and he passed away on Thursday morning. His family are devastated that this has happened whilst he was playing the sport that he loved.”
They added that the outpouring of support since his accident showed how widely admired and cared for he was within the football community.
Vigar began his football journey in Arsenal’s academy system, where he was considered a promising forward. After leaving Arsenal, he continued his career in semi-professional football, most recently with Chichester City.
Tributes from teammates, fans, and fellow players have flooded in, many remembering him not just as a talented footballer but also as a kind and dedicated young man.
Billy Vigar’s sudden passing has left his club, family, and the wider football community in grief. At just 21, his life and career were cut short in the very game he loved most.
