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Uncontracted trio of Behrendorff, Agar and Tye also named, while Ellis and Meredith won’t play for Tasmania next week

Alex Malcolm19-Sep-2024Injury-prone Cricket Australia contracted pace duo of Lance Morris and Jhye Richardson are set for domestic white-ball returns. Both quicks have been named in Western Australia’s 14-man squad for their opening One-Day Cup matches against New South Wales and South Australia, on Sunday and Tuesday, respectively, at Cricket Central in Sydney.Morris has not played cricket at any level since suffering a side strain in February during what was his second ODI, with the injury ending his season. Routine scans during the off-season showed a hot spot in his back despite not feeling any pain. Morris was ruled out of playing in the Major League Cricket, and was also not considered for Australia’s limited-overs tour of the UK.He will begin a slow build back towards a red-ball return, and will likely only play one of the two 50-over matches next week, with WA naming six fast bowlers in their squad. That includes the uncontracted veteran duo Jason Behrendorff and Andrew Tye.Related

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Richardson, meanwhile, did play over the winter after coming off a horror run of hamstring and shoulder injuries in recent seasons. He played one game in the IPL for Delhi Capitals, and then three matches for Perth Scorchers in the Top End T20 Series in Darwin in August.Richardson’s return to domestic 50-over cricket is another step forward for him, but it remains to be seen whether he will be fit enough to return to first-class cricket with the Sheffield Shield in October.Uncontracted left-arm spinner Ashton Agar has also been named in WA’s squad, alongside Behrendorff and Tye after also opting to become a freelance cricketer.Cameron Bancroft looks set to keep wicket for WA, with Josh Inglis away on national duty. Former WA back-up wicketkeeper-batter and 50-over opener Josh Philippe is set to face his old side on Sunday for the first time after moving to New South Wales. Philippe was a key part of WA’s hat-trick of One-Day Cup titles, having played in all three and been Player of the Tournament in 2022-23.WA are looking to become the first men’s side in Australian One-Day domestic history to claim four consecutive titles, even as they have won five of the last seven.Elsewhere, Nathan Ellis and Riley Meredith won’t play in Tasmania’s opening two One-Day Cup matches against Victoria and Queensland in Melbourne, on Monday and Wednesday, respectively.Ellis is still recovering from the hamstring injury that saw him ruled out of Australia’s limited-overs tour of the UK, while Meredith only arrived back in Australia this week and is set for another scan on the side he injured in the opening match of the tour against Scotland. Ellis did not play in any of Australia’s next four T20I matches due to side soreness before returning home, and his recovery time is still to be determined.

Sunderland’s hectic transfer window started on a sombre note when Jobe Bellingham pushed through a move to leave the Black Cats behind for German behemoth Borussia Dortmund.

At that point in time, the Wearside masses must have been fearful regarding what the rest of the window was going to look like. However, they’ve never looked back, with the likes of Habib Diarra and Noah Sadiki adding in plenty of fresh personnel to their options centrally.

Still, if there’s more chances to snap up exciting options in the midfield department before the Premier League season begins, Sunderland are unlikely to turn down such a tantalising opportunity.

Sunderland knock on door for £26m star

Indeed, it’s already been proven that Regis Le Bris and Co. are not done with revamping their midfield options, as Granit Xhaka is now set to undergo a medical at the Stadium of Light.

The Swiss international – who is set to join for £17m – will offer plenty of grit and fight having starred in the testing Premier League before for Arsenal, which will be needed if Sunderland are to immediately survive in such a stressful division.

He isn’t the only midfield addition that could soon catch the eye of the Stadium of Light fanbase, however, as a new development from Turkish outlet Saba Spor, via X, indicates that the Black Cats have made an approach to Galatasaray regarding ex-Norwich City ace Gabriel Sara.

Indeed, the report suggests that the newly-promoted side have ‘knocked on the door’ of the Super Lig side regarding a potential deal, with Sara currently valued at more than €30m (£26m).

Winning Sara’s services could see Sunderland pick up their next version of young Bellingham, with Xhaka far more attuned to the defensive side of his game.

Whereas, the Brazilian is capable of being both an attacking force but also a combative and energetic option if needed, much like the brand-new Dortmund number 77.

Why Sara can be an "incredible" Bellingham replacement

Of course, there is also the aforementioned Diarra and Sadiki to chuck into the equation.

However, that duo will need time to get up to speed with their new environments, with Sara already well accustomed to the demands of the English game when starring week in week out for Norwich City in the Championship, before Turkey came calling.

In total, for the Canaries, Sara would pick up a sublime 21 goals and 17 assists from 96 appearances, which blows Bellingham’s own output for Sunderland out of the water, as he lags behind on 11 goals and four assists himself from six fewer clashes.

Yet, Sunderland only forked out £1.5m for the 19-year-old before he became an asset worthy of a hefty £27m, with Le Bris and Co. needing to splash out £26m on Sara, knowing he’s a worthy replacement for the now Bundesliga midfielder and not a project that will take time to come good.

CM

105

14

16

AM

34

6

6

RM

33

7

2

LM

24

3

4

DM

24

5

6

RW

5

4

1

LW

1

0

0

RB

1

0

0

LB

1

0

0

Sara should also be comfortable with what is required of him in the Premier League, having now experienced the challenges of a tough, top division in Turkey by amassing a blistering two goals and ten assists from 45 outings, leading to Galatasaray’s head coach Okan Buruk praising the South American for adapting “very quickly.”

He is also adaptable when it comes to where he positions himself on the pitch, when glancing at the table above, with the 26-year-old content at being a number ten, a defensive anchor, or even a winger, much like Bellingham, who similarly rotated his duties under Le Bris’ methods.

Further noted as being “incredible” by U23 football scout Antonio Mango when challenging near the top of the Championship with Norwich, it could now finally be Sara’s time to shine in the Premier League, away from all those missed opportunities in Norfolk.

Sunderland definitely look well-stocked in the midfield department ahead of next season, with Sara adding yet more quality to the ever-growing camp if he joins shortly.

Their new Defoe: Sunderland submit offer to sign "world-class" striker

Sunderland could soon win the services of this potent striker as their next major purchase.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 29, 2025

Selectors hope turning pitch will vindicate retention of three-pronged spin attack

Danyal Rasool23-Oct-2024Pakistan will field an unchanged starting eleven from the one that beat England by 152 runs in the second Test for the final game in Rawalpindi. The PCB announced the side one day after England confirmed a change in their bowling combination to match the triple-spin attack that proved successful for Pakistan in Multan.It is the first time in Shan Masood’s stint as captain that Pakistan have named an unchanged eleven. The decision is not a surprise, though there was a chance Pakistan may switch up their combination to replace Zahid Mahmood, who bowled just six ineffective overs in Multan, with a seamer. But an injury to Mir Hamza, their preferred choice, scuppered any chance of that happening.The decision is a leap of faith in the curators’ attempts to force the Rawalpindi surface to behave more like the one for the second Test in Multan. Historically, Pindi has never taken much spin, even late into Test matches; just two Tests ago on this surface, Pakistan went in with an all-pace attack against Bangladesh in August.Related

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Pakistan deploy fans, heaters in bid to produce Rawalpindi turner

Since the gamble in Multan paid off last week, though, preparations for a repeat have gone into overdrive. The curators were in Pindi before the second Test ended, with Aleem Dar and Aqib Javed, part of the selection committee, making the trip on the day the game ended.Over the weekend, industrial sized fans and wedding-style heaters were brought in, with windbreakers surrounding the surface. The heaters were gone by Monday, though the giant fans were working. Some footmarks are visible on the strip, notably outside the left-hander’s off-stump at the media end. Each side have a left-arm spinner, a finger spinner and a legspinner in their bowling ranks.”It’s an interesting pitch,” Jason Gillespie, Pakistan’s head coach, said. “Since I’ve been here, there’ve been fans on which we’ve all seen. So obviously it’s very dry and not a lot of grass on it. We probably expect it to favour the slower balls here.”The series is level at 1-1. Pakistan are looking for their first series win since a 2-0 victory in Sri Lanka in July, and a first at home since they beat South Africa in February 2021 by a similar scoreline.Pakistan: 1 Saim Ayub, 2 Abdullah Shafique, 3 Shan Masood (capt), 4 Kamran Ghulam, 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7 Salman Agha, 8 Aamer Jamal, 9 Sajid Khan, 10 Noman Ali, 11 Zahid Mahmood

Dele Alli’s hopes of securing a lifeline move to Wrexham appear over, with manager Phil Parkinson hinting that his final squad spot will instead go to returning star Ollie Rathbone. The former Tottenham and England midfielder, recently released by Como, had been linked with the Hollywood-owned club but now looks set to continue his uncertain search for a new home.

Dele’s Wrexham transfer hopes appear to be overParkinson expects Rathbone to take final squad spotEx-Spurs star must continue search for new clubFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Dele has been released by Serie A side Como after his contract was terminated by mutual consent. The 29-year-old, once a Premier League star at Tottenham, has since been linked with potential moves to West Brom, Birmingham, and Wrexham. However, rumours of a North Wales switch have now been dampened.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Wrexham boss Parkinson has suggested that Rathbone, last season’s Player of the Year for the Red Dragons, will fill the club’s 25th squad slot once he returns from injury. Rathbone has been sidelined with an ankle problem but is close to fitness after impressing during pre-season. His return appears to rule out a move for Dele.

Getty Images SportWHAT PARKINSON SAID

Speaking to the media, Parkinson said: "I think Ollie is closing in. I just wanted to make sure Ollie got through this week in training and the signs are looking positive, and he'll be back in a couple of weeks. We need Ollie back, he's a key player for us. He was instrumental for us last year.

"He's a player who has played in the Championship; first year did well, second one was a difficult one at Rotherham because they had a very weak squad. But he's played at this level and when he signed for us, he was determined to get back into the Championship.

"His start to the season has been curtailed but obviously he's a very naturally fit player and the sooner we get him back involved in football, the better. His energy and his quality, I can't wait to get Ollie back out with us."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR DELE?

With Rathbone set to be reintegrated, Dele will have to look elsewhere as he continues his search for a club. Birmingham and West Brom remain linked, but his options are shrinking. For Wrexham, the focus now shifts to Rathbone’s comeback and life in the Championship.

The 2025 summer transfer window has been one that many Newcastle United fans would likely want to forget.

They’ve had numerous transfer targets join Premier League rivals, including Hugo Ekitike and Benjamin Sesko, who went to Liverpool and Manchester United, respectively. Furthermore, the club has spent the whole window with the shadow of Alexander Isak’s departure hanging over them.

However, they have also achieved some underrated wins with the likes of Anthony Elanga and Malick Thiaw. Eddie Howe’s side have also been closely linked to Brentford’s Yoane Wissa as a potential replacement for Isak.

Even with these signings, PIF are on the hunt for even more squad depth and are close to completing the signing of a talented Premier League player.

Newcastle agree £40m deal for Ramsey

Fabrizio Romano reported that Newcastle were closing in on a deal for Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey, who only wants a move to St James’ Park. The 24-year-old has been with Villa since 2007 and has risen through the academy to become a regular feature in the first team.

Mike McGrath has now added that Newcastle have agreed a £40m fee with Villa, so the Magpies now need to open talks over personal terms, and a medical will be arranged once an agreement has been reached.

However, this is a rapidly developing deal and there’s speculation that the personal terms could be agreed sooner rather than later and the deal concluded swiftly after.

West Ham were also reported to have approached Villa for Ramsey, as per Romano, but were dissuaded when the player made it clear that he “only wants Newcastle”.

Newcastle will be getting a versatile player who is seen as similar to Barcelona winger Raphinha, as per FBref due to his dynamic ability to play in attacking midfield or on the wing.

From a Villa perspective, they were one of the clubs most at risk of a PSR breach, so it’s likely the sale is more out of necessity than not wanting him. As Ramsey is an academy product, he will be listed purely as profit in Villa’s accounts, making him a more valuable player to sell PSR-wise than a player that they had signed.

Ramsey elevates those around him

Ramsey’s last season at Villa had been an upgrade on his quiet 2023/24 campaign, with most of his highlights coming in the Champions League and the FA Cup. With Newcastle back in the Champions League, they’ll be hoping that Ramsey can emulate this cup form in black and white.

While Ramsey’s goal involvements aren’t quite at the level of some of Newcastle’s current midfielders and wingers, he is often instrumental in build-up play, which can allow his teammates to score and assist more often.

The 24-year-old averages 13.5 progressive actions per 90 minutes in the league and features in the top 15% of players for pass accuracy, meaning he not only retains the ball but often does something positive with it.

Howe can forget Isak: PIF in talks to sign "prolific" £26m CF for Newcastle

With Alexander Isak adamant he’ll never player for Newcastle again, the Magpies are in talks to sign a “prolific” striker worth £26m from Ligue 1.

1 ByBen Gray Aug 13, 2025

Additionally, he featured in the top 5% of players for dribble success rate. If PIF can get Ramsey, he will be able to get the ball to the forward line on a regular basis, allowing them to score more goals. While no one player may be able to replace Isak’s numbers, signings like Ramsey will bring up the squad’s numbers as a whole, helping to ease the goal burden.

Markram, Jansen, Maharaj, Rabada and Stubbs, who are all playing the Test series against Sri Lanka, will miss the T20Is

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Dec-2024In the absence of Aiden Markram, who is currently involved in the Test series against Sri Lanka, Heinrich Klaasen will lead South Africa in their home T20I series against Pakistan.Apart from Markram, several other all-format players – such as Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada and Tristan Stubbs – will miss the Pakistan T20Is, scheduled between December 10 and 14, with the second Test against Sri Lanka concluding on December 9. These players will, however, be a part of the ODI series against Pakistan in early 2025, which will be part of their last leg of preparations for the Champions Trophy.That apart, Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi have returned to the T20I side for the first time since the T20 World Cup in June. Allrounder George Linde has also been named in the squad, after having last played a T20I in July 2021, against Ireland. He has played 14 T20Is and had an impressive performance in this season’s CSA T20 Challenge, scoring 171 runs at a strike rate of 178.12 and claiming nine wickets at an average of 18.33.”Anrich is very much in line for the Champions Trophy,” South Africa’s white-ball head coach Rob Walter said. “He has a lot of experience so playing lots of 50-over cricket is not necessary. Before that, he will be very active in the SA20 and in this series. I am not worried about him from a playing point of view. He is not a young cricketer, he understands his game. There’s enough cricket between now and then for him to be selected.”ESPNcricinfo LtdHe added that South Africa’s No. 7 is normally filled with a seaming allrounder but with Wiaan Mulder injured and Jansen unavailable, they “needed to look for a spinning allrounder and George was someone who filled that role.” South Africa do have two seam-bowling allrounders in Patrick Kruger and Andile Simelane, a 21-year-old, who has excellent potential for the future. “I’m very excited about Andile. He has got some wonderful attributes. The first ball he faced in international cricket he hit out of Kingsmead. He has got some power with the bat, he took some key wickets, he has a wonderful overall skill set that is still in its infancy. We want to keep giving him opportunities, keep growing his game.”Although South Africa qualified for June’s T20 World Cup final, they have not won a single bilateral series this year, largely because they have not had a first-choice squad available. Still, the microscope is on Walter, who was asked if he felt his position was in jeopardy. “I feel the most pressure from myself personally. I want the team to be better, expect the team to play better and that starts with me as the head coach. We are in the results business.”The squad will begin preparations with a two-day camp at the Centre of Excellence in Pretoria from December 6-8. On Sunday, they will head to Durban where the first match will be played, followed by back-to-back games in Centurion and Johannesburg on December 13 and 14, respectively.South Africa T20I squad for Pakistan seriesHeinrich Klaasen (capt), Ottneil Baartman, Matthew Breetzke*, Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, Patrick Kruger, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka*, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Nqaba Peter, Ryan Rickelton*, Tabraiz Shamsi**, Andile Simelane, Rassie van der Dussen*Matthew Breetzke, Kwena Maphaka and Ryan Rickelton will join the squad following their Test commitments against Sri Lanka**Tabraiz Shamsi’s participation in the ongoing Global Super League in Guyana may affect his availability for the first T20I

The Derbyshire seamer finished with 5 for 21 as the Lions dismissed the hosts for 214 on day one

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jan-2025Pat Brown claimed a hat-trick on his way to a five-wicket haul as the England Lions enjoyed a dominant opening day of their second tour game against a Cricket Australia XI in Brisbane.Henry Hunt was his first victim, edging more conventionally to James Coles at second slip, before Jack Clayton was bowled shouldering arms. The Derbyshire right-armer was then wheeling away to celebrate his hat-trick when Hugo Burdon edged behind to wicketkeeper James Rew. Brown’s figures were 5 for 21 from eight overs as the home side were bowled out for 214.Brown, bowling first change, ran through the top order and had already had opener Nivethan Radhakrishnan caught by Coles from a rising delivery before securing his hat-trick.England Lions reached stumps at 53 for 1 with Ben McKinney the only wicket to fall for 32. Skipper Alex Davies remained unbeaten on 15 alongside nightwatcher Shoaib Bashir (one).Ryan Hicks top-scored for the CA XI with 64, before he became Brown’s fifth wicket. Hicks reached his half-century from 78 balls before Brown got another ball to lift off a good length to find McKinney at a wide first slip. Sam Cook wrapped up the tail to return 2 for 31.

Do Wolverhampton Wanderers need to be active in the final few days of the transfer window to avoid being relegated?

In their Premier League opener on Saturday, Wolves were demolished 4-0 by Manchester City at Molineux, their heaviest defeat under Vítor Pereira.

This is the start of the Old Gold’s eighth successive season in the Premier League, their longest stay in the top division since the early-70s, but could it come to an end?

Well, some fresh additions between now and September 1st would certainly help.

Wolves targeting new midfielder

That opening day annihilation at the hands of Man City underlined Wolves’ lack of quality, so do they have their eyes set on a highly-rated midfield general?

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Well, according to reports in Spain, Wolves are interested in signing Marc Casadó from Barcelona, with Real Betis and Como also in the running.

They add that Barça “would accept” a suitable offer, given their ongoing financial issues, only able to register new signings Joan García and Marcus Rashford on the morning of their La Liga opener against Mallorca last weekend.

As it transpires, the three aforementioned suitors have already submitted an offer to sign the player, believed to be worth around £26m.

So, could Casadó soon swap Catalonia for the English Midlands?

What Marc Casadó would bring to Wolves

Ever since they secured their return to the Premier League in 2018, high-quality midfielders have been key to Wolves’ success.

First, Portuguese duo João Moutinho and Rúben Neves formed the bedrock of Nuno Espírito Santo’s side, playing 184 matches for the club together, but the one that got away is unquestionably Vitinha.

20 years old at the time, he spent the 2020/21 season on loan from Porto in the Black Country, making just 22 appearances for the club, starting only five times in the Premier League, his only goal this absolute rocket against non-league Chorley in an FA Cup tie.

Wolves did have a £17m option to buy following the conclusion of his loan, but declined, a decision they surely now regret, considering Vitinha has become one of the very best midfielders in the world, thriving at Paris Saint-Germain.

But, how does Casado compare? Well, joining Barcelona’s academy at the age of 13, and is a classic la Masia midfielder; diminutive and possessing exceptional technical ability, much like Vitinha.

After making the odd cameo appearance here or there beforehand, he really established himself as a key figure in Hansi Flick’s domestic treble-winning squad last season, as the table below documents.

Minutes

2,443

11th

Assists

6

8th

Completed passes

1,682

7th

Pass completion %

89.8%

6th*

Progressive passes

154

8th

Tackles

77

2nd

Ball recoveries

120

8th

*minimum 1,000 attempted

Casadó ranked highly for a wide variety of statistics at Barcelona last season, including passing and defensive metrics, despite the fact ten players saw more minutes than he did.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labels him a “midfield general”, praising his “control and work rate”, while Pol Ballús of the Athletic notes that he dominated midfield against ‘elite opposition’ last season, believing he could be a massive star in the future. It’s clear to see why the comparisons to Vitinha exist.

However, could this future be away from Camp Nou, with Casadó having fallen down the Barça midfield pecking order, an unused substitute for Saturday’s win at Son Moix, with Fermín López, Frenkie de Jong and Pedro starting, while Gavi came off the bench?

Should Casadó end up in Wolverhampton, he’d be joining the strongest area of Wolves’ team, with Brazilian duo João Gomes and André starting on the opening weekend, surely one of the best pairings in the bottom half, with Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Marshall Munetsi deployed further forward.

Nevertheless, the 21-year-old Spain international has the potential to be a world-class operator so, if Wolves are able to take advantage of Barcelona’s dire finances, they can’t afford to fumble this opportunity, as they did with Vitinha five seasons ago.

Wolves submit £26m offer to sign "superb" new star who’s been granted exit

The Midlands club have made their first move.

ByTom Cunningham Aug 21, 2025

Pep Guardiola has crushed talk that Abdukodir Khusanov could be Manchester City’s permanent right-back solution, despite the youngster’s heroic display in Sunday’s derby demolition of Manchester United. The Catalan manager admitted the Uzbekistan international has the tools to cover the role, but warned the brutal intensity of City’s fixture calendar makes it impossible for the 21-year-old to handle the job on a full-time basis.

Man City continue with makeshift defence

Guardiola’s comments reignite the long-running debate about the vacancy on City’s right flank, a position that has never truly been filled since Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker both departed the Etihad over the past two seasons. In the wake of those exits, Guardiola has been forced into endless tinkering. He’s tried Matheus Nunes as an emergency defender, shifted Rico Lewis into the slot despite lingering doubts about his readiness, and rotated midfielders in to plug the gap.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportGuardiola puts his foot down

Khusanov was the latest to be thrown into the fire, impressing with his pace, aerial strength and fearless tackling during the 3-0 mauling of United. Fans were quick to sing his praises, demanding Guardiola make the experiment permanent. But for the manager, one shining performance doesn’t erase the physical toll the position demands.

"We have to play every three days; no human being can do that," Guardiola explained. "I know for his physicality, he’s so fast and closed that [right] side really well. [He didn’t] lose too many balls, sometimes his energy makes him make not the right decision. [Patrick] Dorgu is so fast and he has incredible speed. Today [Khusanov] was really good."

January shopping spree looms

Guardiola’s refusal to lock Khusanov into the role suggests City could dip into the market in January or next summer. A new specialist full-back is almost certain to be on the recruitment agenda for 2026. Inter’s Denzel Dumfries has already been linked with a move to Manchester, while Newcastle’s Tino Livramento is also admired. Both would provide the athleticism and defensive quality Guardiola craves, without the risks of asking an untested youngster to fill one of the Premier League’s most demanding roles.

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Getty Images SportPressure builds on Pep

For all their dominance in the derby, City know defensive cracks could haunt them deeper into the season. Khusanov’s energy and youthful exuberance thrilled the supporters, but Pep’s reality check highlighted the brutal demands of playing week in and out in an unnatural position in the Premier League. City may have brushed United aside with ease, but unless Guardiola gets the right man through the door, the right-hand side of his defence will remain a nagging weak spot for the Cityzens.

A former team-mate of the late Billy Vigar has revealed that Chichester City have been left "traumatised" by the fatal accident that killed the former Arsenal youth player. Vigar suffered a horrific head injury during an Isthmian League Premier Division game against Wingate and Finchley, which tragically took the footballer's life.

Vigar tragically killed in horror accident

Vigar was in action for Chichester City in an Isthmian League Premier Division clash against Wingate and Finchley on September 20, when he crashed into a concrete wall. The tragedy happened just 13 minutes into the match as Vigar tried to prevent the ball from crossing the goal line. Multiple ambulances and an air ambulance arrived at the venue and he was immediately taken to a hospital. The 21-year-old was placed into an induced coma and underwent surgery but unfortunately, his life could not be saved as he passed away.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesVigar's accident has left Chicchester 'traumatised'

Speaking to the , Vigar's team-mate and goalkeeper Kieran Magee described the incident, saying: "It’s still very raw as to what we saw. An absolute freak accident, he’s collided with the concrete wall around the perimeter of the pitch. It was past the goal-line so at the end of the pitch. For the whole team that were playing at the time, not just us but the Wingate and Finchley players as well, it’s a traumatic memory for us. 

"There were a few guys that stayed with him, and the physios from both clubs. There were a couple members of the crowd who were medically trained and came over, too. The paramedics turned up extremely quickly and took over from there. ‘We were with him until we couldn’t be. We knew it was serious very quickly. ‘It’s going to be at the forefront of everyone’s mind for a long, long time going forward."

The stopper added: "The kind of character he was, it felt like he had been here forever. His old team-mates feel exactly the same wherever he has been before. He was a really humble young lad. He’s had a lot of knockbacks in his career, he was really coming out of his shell and bonding with everyone. He was the most kind, normal bloke you could meet. He was just enjoying his football. He was a full-blooded player. He gave everything to every ball, never stopped running. You could see he was enjoying it."

Chichester set up fundraiser

The non-league club have set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds to support Vigar's grief-stricken family. The GoFundMe campaign statement read: "Please give what you can and show the strength of the football community when we come together for one of our own. Rest in peace, Billy. You will never be forgotten."

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Getty Images SportArsenal paid tribute to Vigar

Arsenal paid tribute to their former academy players as Gunners stars wore a black armband as a mark of respect during their Premier League clash against Newcastle United on Sunday at St James' Park.