Vigar’s death was ‘entirely preventable’

Former Bath City striker Alex Fletcher calls the death of former Arsenal youth player Billy Vigar “entirely preventable.”

Vigar, age 21, passed away on Thursday after suffering a “significant brain injury” while playing for Chichester City the previous Saturday.

The club has not confirmed whether the injury was brought on by his collision with a concrete wall.

Fletcher crashed into concrete advertising hoardings while playing for Bath City in the National League South, breaking his 25-year-old football career.

After having emergency surgery, the now-26-year-old was put in a coma and had not played for ten months. Since then, he has worked for the Professional Footballers’ Association’s brain health department to promote improved player safety on football grounds.

Fletcher told BBC Breakfast, “This was a completely preventable circumstance.”

“It caused me to experience a lot of emotions, but my main emotion was frustration that the FA hasn’t heard my pleas for change.

If there isn’t action, I’m afraid this will not be the last [death].”

Following Vigar’s passing, the Football Association announced it would conduct an immediate safety review of the perimeter walls at the National League system.

According to its statement, “This will include looking at ways we can assist National League system clubs in identifying and implementing additional measures at their stadiums that will help reduce any potential safety risks.”

Fletcher did, however, call for urgent action.

Fletcher remarked, “I think it’s too little, too late.”

Is it going to bring their son back, Billy’s family would say, “I believe it would,” you ask?

There are hundreds of football games being played across the nation at all levels where this kind of incident could occur again, according to the statement.

It’s described as a “freak accident,” but, to put it simply, it’s an accident waiting to happen.