Wingate & Finchley Demolishes Wall Following Tragic Death of Chichester City Striker
Wingate & Finchley has taken the significant step of demolishing a concrete wall at the Maurice Rebak Stadium in the wake of the tragic death of Chichester City striker Billy Vigar.
The 21-year-old player passed away last month after suffering a serious brain injury during a match against the non-league side in London.
While it is believed that Vigar's injury was sustained when he collided with the concrete wall, the club has yet to confirm this detail.
According to BBC Sport, the concrete wall at the stadium has now been removed.
In response to Vigar's death, the Football Association announced it would conduct an immediate safety review of perimeter walls at football grounds within the National League.
Former Bath City striker Alex Fletcher, who retired from football in 2023 after fracturing his skull in a collision with an advertising hoarding in November 2022, has since become an advocate for player safety. Fletcher was placed in a coma following emergency surgery and did not return to play for 10 months.
Now 26, he has taken on a role in the brain health department of the Professional Footballers' Association and believes Vigar's death could have been prevented. "This was an entirely preventable situation," Fletcher stated during an interview with BBC Breakfast. "It brought a lot of emotions flooding back for me, but my overriding emotion was frustration that the calls for change haven't been listened to by the FA. I'm afraid this will not be the last [death] if action isn't taken."
Vigar was a product of the Arsenal academy, departing the club in 2024, and also had stints at Derby County, Eastbourne Borough, and Hastings United.