The family of the former Arsenal striker have been told to prepare for a lengthy inquest. There are multiple investigations continuing into the circumstances surrounding his tragic death.
The former Arsenal academy forward passed away aged just 21 in September. He suffered a catastrophic brain injury during a non-league match.
He was playing for Chichester City when he collided with a concrete wall. Billy Vigar was attempting to keep the ball in play during a fixture at Wingate and Finchley FC on September 20.
A pre-inquest hearing took place at Barnet Coroner’s Court on Tuesday. There, the senior coroner Andrew Walker made it clear to Vigar’s family that the process ahead “will not be a short one”.
According to BBC News, Walker specifically requested that the Metropolitan Police ensure “the nature of the contact between the two players involved” is examined as part of their investigation.
Multiple bodies are now determining what went wrong. The Metropolitan Police and Barnet Council are both conducting separate inquiries.
The Football Association has launched a wider review into the safety of perimeter walls and pitch boundaries across non-league football.
Obi Oranu, service manager for commercial environmental health at Barnet Council, confirmed the removal of the concrete wall at the Wingate and Finchley stadium.
He also revealed that the examination of potential health and safety breaches at the ground is ongoing.
Detective Superintendent Colin Chandler, speaking on behalf of the Met, stated that their investigation could take between four and six weeks.
He also asked for cooperation from the FA. The Professional Footballers’ Association is also carrying out its own investigation.
Ben Wright of the PFA said that walls around pitches have long been an issue of player safety.
He confirmed the union has been working to address the problem “for a number of years”.
The review has renewed focus on non-league safety standards, following similar incidents in recent seasons.
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