BASINGSTOKE Academy Football Club will hold a minute's silence in tribute to a ‘popular’ young footballer who died in a car crash last week.

Harry Rice was one of the victims of a car crash where a black Audi collided with him and two friends in Shepiston Lane in Hayes on Friday, 26 January.

The Metropolitan Police said formal identification of the victims had yet to be completed, officers were confident they are Harry Rice, 17, and 16-year-olds George Wilkinson and Josh McGunniess.

Despite the efforts of the paramedics, all three of them were pronounced dead at the scene.

The club released a statement yesterday (January 29) which read: “Basingstoke Town and SCL are sad to hear the sad news of the passing of academy student Harry Rice after a tragic accident.

“Harry moved to Basingstoke and SCL’s Academy programme in November after showing massive potential with his footballing ability. He was popular among his peers and was known to his fellow students and course tutor as a polite, kind and happy student.

“Harry’s family and friends are in our thoughts at this sad time. Our thoughts are also with the family and friends of George and Josh who also lost their lives in the same tragic accident.”

A minutes silence will be held at this Friday’s Academy home match against Oxford City FC Academy, where first team players and match officials will also be in attendance to remember the starlet.

The Dragons first team will also be holding a minutes silence in Harry’s memory at the next home game on Saturday, 10 February against Bishop’s Stortford.

The statement concluded: “Harry’s friends and team mates are looking at ways to remember Harry.

“Harry was a pleasure to work with and will be sorely missed by everyone at Basingstoke Town FC and SCL.”

Jaynesh Chudasama, 28, of Hayes, West London, has been charged with three counts of causing death by dangerous driving in connection with the incident, and appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates Court on Monday, 29 January. He will next appear at The Old Bailey on Monday, 26 February.

A 34-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after handing himself in at a north London police station at around 7pm on Sunday, 28 January. He has since been released under investigation.