VIDEO: Walsall fans pay their respects to Tunisia terror victims

The tragic deaths of teenager Joel Richards, his uncle Adrian Evans and grandfather Patrick Evans in Tunisia has shook not just the Midlands, but the country as a whole.

As tributes flooded in for the football-loving family from across the UK, old classmates and long-term friends of the gun-downed victims gathered at a shrine in their honour yesterday.

Scores of shirts, scarves, flags, flowers and messages were laid outside of the Banks's Stadium in memory of the three generations of Walsall FC fans.

But it was not just Walsall colours, with supporters of other clubs including West Bromwich Albion, Wolves, Aston Villa, Halesowen Town and even further afield such as West Ham and Bristol Rovers leaving condolences and scarves in a show of solidarity.

University student Joel, aged 19, from Wednesbury, was a keen sportsman, playing Gaelic football and also being a referee.

He attended Stuart Bathurst in Wednesbury until it came to A-Levels, and a school top is amongst the tributes.

Headteacher Jeremy Harris, was among those who paid tribute to Joel and his relatives at the stadium.

He said: "He was a highly intelligent young man. He was a very able sportsman, he excelled in the classroom and the sports field. He was the kind of student everyone respected.

"He was really well-mannered and would help anybody.

"The fact he was head boy was fitting to what people felt about him."

He added they would now be offering support to his brother Owen – who had just done his GCSE's and is getting ready for the next stage in his life – as well as the rest of the family.

The 16 year-old is believed to have been grazed by a gunshot wound, but then comforted the injured despite witnessing the deaths of his relatives.

Mr Harris said: "I would imagine he is finding it very difficult to consider the future and what he is going to do at the moment.

"The school is going to visit him, we have got some staff members who are particularly close to him."

Old school friends also gathered to remember the popular teenager.

Among them was Connor Kiernan, aged 20 from Great Barr, who said: "He was genuine, it still hasn't sunk in.

"He was there for anyone if you needed anything. He was always good at putting a smile on people's faces."

Dozens of football shirts have been placed on the ground by the main reception to the Banks's Stadium, with several asking the question 'Why'. Several referee shirts are among those left in tribute.

One had a Football League badge on and said: "A horrible waste of talent! Clearly had ability to go a long way in refereeing and life in general.

"Such a shame the world will never see you with this badge. They undoubtedly would have else. Love Foxy xx"

Joel was also former pupil of St Mary's Catholic Primary, returning on a regular basis to train the children in football.

He was due to spend some more time at the school on his return from Tunisia.

In a statement they said: "Joel was an intelligent, radiant and compassionate young man who had the world at his feet and everything to live for.

"The staff at St. Mary's are heartbroken at the tragic loss of his life and the lives of his uncle and grandfather.

"There are no words that could possibly do justice to this wonderful young man. We are proud to have known him."

Wood Green Academy, where he attended for A-Levels, added: "Our thoughts go out to ex-student Joel Richards' friends and family.

"A wonderful young man whose life was tragically cut short."

David Brookes attended Walsall FC games with 49 year-old Sandwell Council worker Adrian and the rest of his family.

They had been friends for more than 20 years and Adrian, who he knew as 'Ade', would regularly organise trips abroad for friends. One included going to Prague and then onto the World Cup in Germany.

The 47 year-old of Hawkswell Drive, Willenhall, hailed the family.

He said: "They were just brilliant, you couldn't fault them at all, everything that has been said is true. As soon as I saw it on the news on Friday I text Ade and said text me back we are worried.

"He is one that usually texts straight back, after a few hours we didn't hear anything we knew something was up.

"Every few days we would be texting, talking about football mainly. I am dreading the first game of the season."

Supporter Ann Dunn, who did not know the family, came to pay her respects at Banks's Stadium. The 76-year-old, who is a long-standing fan of Saddlers, said: "It is awfully sad. It is a loss to the Walsall family."

Kevin Paddock, editor of the Vital Walsall website, said they have been inundated with messages from other clubs along with fellow Saddlers fans.

"It is genuine disbelief and sadness that three of our own from our family have been taken from us in such circumstances," he said.

"The messages we have received at Vital Walsall has been unbelievable from the football family."

Mr Paddock added: "It is the image of all of them standing outside Wembley that is probably the most hard-hitting. The fellow Saddlers will be forever in our hearts."

At Sandwell Council where Adrian Evans was head of the council's gas section, a book of condolence has opened for colleagues to sign.

Assistant chief executive of Sandwell Council Melanie Dudley said she had written to all members of staff and said support and counselling was available to anyone who needed it.

She said: "Adrian had worked with the council since leaving school. He had worked with the council for 33 years.

"He came and learned his trade as a gas fitter and worked his way up to leading the team and having 40 staff under him. He was very much one of those unsung heroes.

"He would go out to people's homes to do repairs and be on call at the weekends. He was known by far more people than just council officers."

Last night, fire crews at Sandwell fire station lowered their station flags at half mast as a sign of respect.