JUSTIN Holbrook and his players are throwing out an invitation to supporters to watch an open training session this Friday.

The Saints boss, who has spoken of the club’s ambition to strengthen their community ties, has decided to let fans watch his charges be put through their paces for their final session before Christmas.

The event will take place at the Ruskin Sports Village, at Ruskin Drive from 1.30pm and is expected to run until 3pm. The players will spend time with the fans.

Holbrook, who this week welcomed Saints’ contingent of players who represented England at the Rugby League World Cup back to the club’s Cowley training base, said: “With it being Christmas, we thought it would be good to get the kids down here to watch and give parents and grandparents the opportunity to bring them along.

“It’s an opportunity for us to show our appreciation to the supporters and for the players to meet them. We’ve been going out to a lot of the schools and have had some great feedback.

“I think Benny Barba and Danny Richardson visited every class in one primary school they visited. It’s good for the players to give them different life experiences and to get away from rugby league for a few hours.”

Meanwhile, the father of Violet-Grace Youens has thanked Saints for creating a shirt in his daughter’s memory.

The club have been praised for their alternate ladies shirt, which features a lilac Vee as well as a small logo with the initials VG and a date – dedicated to the four-year-old who died after she was struck by a car in a hit-and-run in March.

Thanking the team, her dad Glenn Youens, 30, said: “We are so grateful to Saints for honouring, and remembering Violet-Grace in such a lovely way.

“The shirts are a lovely tribute to our beautiful baby girl, she would love them. The rugby league community and beyond is so lovely supporting us as a family and keeping Violet’s memory alive. It just shows what an amazing supportive and lovely town we live in.”

The team also showed their support to the family just days after the little girl’s death on March 25, by wearing violet coloured warm-up tops ahead of their game against Salford Red Devils.