Leading community figures connected to the Polish community in Southampton have welcomed the news that Saints are considering laying on a treat for them.

The club's board revealed in Tuesday's Daily Echo that they "are already examining possibilities" of inviting Grzegorz Rasiak and his international team-mates to play another nation at St Mary's or staging a first team friendly against a Polish club side.

And figures in the growing Polish community, which has swelled to around 27,000 since the eastern European country was welcomed into the EU in 2004, believe staging such a high-profile fixture for the Polish community would aid their integration into life in the city.

Dave Adcock, below, of the EU Welcome Project in Southampton, said: "It would be a fantastic idea.

"Football is very important to Polish people and any event that can bring Polish and English people together is extremely positive.

"Even the fact that Southampton and Poland play in the same colours is quite helpful, as is the fact that Polish players such as Rasiak and others have played for the club and are well known figures amongst the Polish community.

"And it would also be a positive move in helping integrate the Polish community.

"It says "You are here, you have the right to be here and you are welcome here" - and that is all very positive."

Full story: See today's Daily Echo.