New rules on pitchside walls after death of former Arsenal youth player

English football authorities have implemented new safety regulations requiring clubs in the National League system to either remove brick and concrete pitchside perimeter walls or cover them with padding. The mandate follows a comprehensive safety review initiated after the death of 21-year-old Chichester City forward and former Arsenal youth player Billy Vigar.

Vigar sustained a fatal brain injury during a football match held in September 2025 at the Wingate and Finchley ground located in north London. The subsequent regulatory changes are designed to prevent similar tragedies by eliminating hard, hazardous structural barriers in close proximity to the field of play across the targeted tiers of English football.