Former Arsenal youngster Billy Vigar dies at 21 after on-field brain injury

Former Arsenal academy striker, Billy Vigar, has tragically died at the age of 21 after sustaining a severe brain injury during a non-league match.

The incident occurred on Saturday during Chichester City’s home fixture against Wingate & Finchley. Vigar reportedly collided with a concrete wall while attempting to keep the ball in play, suffering a “significant brain injury.”

The match was abandoned after just 13 minutes as medical teams rushed to attend to him.

Vigar was immediately placed in an induced coma and underwent surgery on Tuesday in an attempt to stabilise his condition. However, despite the procedure, he succumbed to his injuries on Thursday morning.

Confirming his passing, his family released a statement:

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“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.”

Vigar began his football journey with Arsenal’s academy at the age of 14 and signed his first professional contract with the Premier League side in July 2022.

He trained with the senior team at 16 and featured prominently for the Gunners’ Under-18 and Under-21 squads before moving on to continue his career in non-league football.

Tributes have since poured in from fans, former teammates, and clubs across English football, honouring Vigar’s talent, dedication, and bright future cut tragically short.