FA bans concrete pitch walls after Billy Vigar death

The Football Association has introduced new regulations prohibiting solid concrete, brick, or breeze block barriers around football pitches. This decision comes after the death of 21-year-old Billy Vigar, who sustained a significant brain injury five days after colliding with a concrete wall surrounding a pitch. His family has publicly stated they believe the FA's inaction on previous similar incidents contributed to his death.

Previous Incidents and Family Concerns

Billy Vigar, a former Arsenal academy player, was playing for Chichester City at Wingate and Finchley FC in north London when the incident occurred. His mother, Camilla Vigar, told BBC Sport that she feels the FA could have prevented her son's death, citing multiple prior warnings. The family pointed to the case of amateur footballer Ben Hiscox, who died in 2015 after hitting a clubhouse near Bristol. Following that incident, a coroner had warned the FA about the risk of future fatalities, leading to padding being added to Stoke Gifford United's clubhouse and an increased run-off area. Another incident involved Alex Fletcher, who fractured his skull in 2022 colliding with concrete barriers at Bath City's ground, forcing his retirement in 2024. The FA conducted a review after Fletcher's accident, but Camilla Vigar stated that, as far as she was aware, no action was taken with the gathered information, and Wingate and Finchley FC was highlighted as a high-risk club.

When questioned by the BBC about the actions taken with the information from that review, the FA offered no comment.

New Regulations and Club Obligations

At the time of Vigar's accident, the FA's stadium accreditation criteria for the National League System and the Women's National League required clubs to have a "permanent" barrier around the pitch made of "sound construction (eg concrete and steel)". Following Vigar's death, the FA commissioned an independent safety review of over 900 clubs. The updated stadium criteria, implemented last month, now explicitly forbids solid brick, breeze block, or concrete barriers. Approximately 169 clubs within the men's National League System and the women's National League have been informed that they must make these changes as soon as is reasonably practicable. Where existing walls are structural, they must be protected with suitable padding.

The FA stated that this work is underway and that they will continue to support the involved clubs. Funding for these modifications is being provided jointly by the FA and the Premier League. Bromsgrove Sporting, a club with a concrete wall around its pitch, described the changes as "completely understandable and long overdue" and expressed gratitude for the 100% funding. Sheppey United, which has a concrete supporting wall, confirmed it would be covered in padding, noting that the remedial works felt reactive rather than proactive. Bath City welcomed the ruling, acknowledging the need for available funding to implement the changes.

Calls for Wider Application of Regulations

Keith Vigar, Billy's father, who works in the health and safety industry, emphasised that people do not expect to be injured or die at work. The Vigar family is advocating for these new regulations to be extended to all levels of football, not just the National League System and women's leagues. Alex Fletcher, who suffered a career-ending injury due to pitch perimeter safety issues, echoed this sentiment, stating the FA had "ignored" his campaigning for years until Billy's passing. Fletcher expressed concern that the ban does not cover all levels of the game and urged authorities to investigate this urgently.

Billy Vigar had joined the football system later than many but was scouted by Arsenal. His father described him as "something different" and a great athlete. After leaving Arsenal's academy due to injuries, he joined Chichester City FC, where his manager noted his talent and predicted he would have progressed to the National League or English Football League.