Former Arsenal academy player Billy Vigar (21) dies after suffering brain injury during game

It is thought the injury was caused when he collided with a concrete wall, but the club has not confirmed this.

Vigar's family said on Thursday they were 'devastated that this has happened while he was playing the sport he loved'.

"After sustaining a significant brain injury last Saturday, Billy Vigar was put into an induced coma," the family said in a statement.

"On Tuesday (23 September), he needed an operation to aid any chances of recovery. Although this helped, the injury proved too much for him and he passed away on Thursday morning (25 September)," the family's statement said.

A statement from Arsenal said everyone at the club was 'deeply sorry' to hear of his death.

"Billy joined our academy on schoolboy terms aged 14, after being scouted at his hometown club Hove Rivervale FC and excelled as a striker at Hale End, scoring 17 goals in his debut season," the club said.