Defensive duo Jonas Olsson and Neil Clement, plus up-and-coming midfielder Graham Dorrans were showing their support for the club's 'ground-breaking, diverse and substantial' partnership with a Sandwell school.

The trio met pupils and took part in activities at St Michael's CofE High School.

The Baggies' Community Programme works hand-in-hand with the Rowley Regis school to deliver a wide range of education and sports-based activities for all pupils - including disability groups.

The partnership's success has resulted in the Community Programme having a permanent member of staff, IMPACT coach Warren Grant, based at the Throne Road school.

One of the scheme's main triumphs is Albion's Double Club project, which is delivered by Community Programme teacher John Jones in a Baggies-branded classroom.

Jones helps pupils who need additional support with literacy and numeracy make progress via football-based learning.

Community Programme and St Michael's staff have also joined forces to set up a 'School Supporters' Club'.

This involves pupils giving up their lunchtime to run a satellite ticket office on the club's behalf, selling discounted Albion match tickets to fellow school-mates.

The operation directly links into pupils' business & enterprise studies, a subject St Michael's specialises in.

The school's own dance company, Fusion, is the Community Programme's official dance partner.

Pupils perform at Community Programme events and regularly provide pre-match entertainment on Hawthorns matchdays.

Olsson, Clement and Dorrans' visit came under the Creating Chances banner - the Barclays Premier League's flagship good cause programme which showcases the vast amount of work undertaken by top-flight clubs in their local communities.

Centre-half Clement, the club's current longest-serving player, said: "Albion have always taken a big interest in community work - I don't think I've seen a club do as much as we do.

"I would have loved to have had players coming in to see us when I was at school and I hope we helped to encourage the pupils with their studies."

Albion's Assistant Community Programme Director, Jamie Bunch, said: "We believe our ground-breaking, diverse and substantial partnership with St Michael's is a great example of how a football club can benefit a school community.

"There is an ever-broadening range of needs and Double Club and the School Supporters' Club are just two examples of the widespread activities we help to run at St Michael's.

"We offer coaching in many different sports - not just football - such as cricket and golf.

"The school's unstinting support to the partnership has been pivotal to its success. This has helped us extend our work to St Michael's' 14 feeder primary schools.

"The players' visit merely reinforced our commitment to the partnership and also encouraged pupils with their studies.

"The School Supporters' Club is a win-win project because it gives pupils real-life business experience while helping the football club reach out to our next generation of supporters."

To read about each Barclays Premier League club's Creating Chances initiatives, click here.