Mikel Arteta pays tribute to former Arsenal academy player Billy Vigar following death | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta says his thoughts are with the family of former Arsenal academy player Billy Vigar, who has died aged 21 after colliding with a concrete barrier during a match last weekend.

Vigar was playing for Chichester away to Wingate and Finchley on Saturday when the incident occurred as he tried to keep the ball in play.

He suffered a significant brain injury and was taken to hospital where he was placed in an induced coma. Chichester announced on Thursday that he had died.

Vigar joined the Arsenal academy as a 14-year-old and went on to appear for the Gunners in the EFL Trophy.

First-team boss Arteta paid tribute to Vigar at his press conference on Friday and said: "It is shocking news.

"Straight away you're thinking about the family, and how difficult it is to go through something like this in a very unexpected way.

"Hopefully they can understand how it happened, and why it happened, and obviously try to avoid this kind of thing.

"Really sad news, and our thoughts are with the family and all his loved ones."

The death comes almost three years after the Professional Footballers’ Association demanded that safety rules around advertising boards be “fully reviewed”, in a move that was sparked by a similar injury suffered by former Bath City striker Alex Fletcher.

Fletcher was forced into retirement at the age of just 25 last year as a result of serious injuries sustained when he careened into a concrete-backed advertising hoarding in November 2022, and was among those who have offered their support to Vigar after his condition was revealed.

Vigar joined Chichester this summer after spells in Sussex football with Hastings and Eastbourne Borough, having scored his first senior goal at the latter.