Tragedy hit English football this month as a young player passed away while playing the beautiful game.
Former Arsenal youth product Billy Vigar, playing for Chichester City FC, has died after suffering a traumatic head injury during a non-league match last week.
The match against Wingate & Finchley was suspended, and Chichester City's upcoming games have been postponed in the wake of the incident.
The Sporting News details what happened and how both his former club and the Football Association (FA) are responding.
What happened to Billy Vigar?
Former Arsenal youth player Billy Vigar died on Thursday, September 21 after suffering a "significant brain injury," according to his family.
While his non-league club Chichester City FC has not confirmed the details of the incident that led to his death, the BBC reports that it is believed the 21-year-old collided with a concrete wall on the edge of the pitch.
"After sustaining a significant brain injury last Saturday, Billy Vigar was put into an induced coma," Vigar's family said in a statement. "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."
The FA has announced it will undergo an "immediate safety review" of the perimeter walls at football clubs throughout the National League after the incident.
When did Billy Vigar play for Arsenal?
Billy Vigar joined Arsenal at 14 years old in 2018, scouted from his hometown club Hove Rivervale FC in Worthing.
In 2020, Vigar was handed a scholarship as a full-time youth player, signing alongside the likes of Omari Hutchinson and Charlie Patino.
He graduated from the club's youth academy and departed in 2024, with spells at Derby County, Eastbourne Borough, and Hastings United.
"Quick, powerful and fiercely determined, his first season as a scholar was blighted by a serious hamstring injury, but he made up for it in his second, scoring four goals in 18 under-18 appearances and signed professional terms for the club at the end of that 2021/22 season," Arsenal said in a statement after Vigar's death.
"As well as his significant talent, Billy will always be remembered for his love of the game, pride at representing our football club - he once called the day he was spotted by our scouts as 'the most important of his life' – and a character beloved by team-mates and coaches alike."
Arsenal have worn black armbands in recent matches in remembrance of Vigar.