Football Shirt Culture.com

West Bromwich Albion and Blue Square announched a historical one-game shirt sponsorship deal.

The online betting company will sponsor the Club's shirts for Monday's home match with QPR (ko 7.45pm), which is live on Sky.

This is the first time a company has commercially sponsored Albion's shirt for a selective game.

Blue Square contacted Albion after the Club announced two weeks ago it was ready to open talks about ground-breaking match-by-match shirt sponsorship deals.

For the second season running, the team have been playing in unsponsored shirts as the Club's search for a suitable, long-term, official sponsor continues.

However, after receiving clarification from the Football League, Albion can offer businesses and organisations the unique opportunity to sponsor their shirt for single or multiple games.

And Blue Square have become the first company to take advantage.

Albion's Finance Director, Mark Jenkins, said: "We have had considerable interest in this unique shirt sponsorship venture and we're delighted that an organisation of Blue Square's stature has become the first company to join forces with us.

"We will be making a little piece of history with Blue Square and are very much looking forward to working closely with them for this game.

"We will also be announcing similar deals with other interested companies for future games."

Blue Square will be auctioning the match-worn shirts in aid of the Whizz-Kidz charity.

Blue Square spokesman, Alan Alger, said: "We are delighted to be part of this historic deal and welcomed the chance to appear on Albion's shirts for this important game.

"Our support of the grass roots game, through our sponsorship of the Blue Square Premier, is complemented by this foray into the Championship.

"To appear on the shirts of such a high-profile club is great exposure for the company and we look forward to working with the Club."

With three more forthcoming Baggies games to be screened live on TV, this is the perfect time for other companies to open talks with the Club about having their brand broadcast to a worldwide audience.

Albion will be live on Sky when they entertain Nottingham Forest on Friday, January 8 and travel to Newcastle on Monday, January 18. The game at Bristol City on Sunday, February 21 will also be broadcast by the BBC.

The Club are also ready to open talks about single or multiple-game shirt sponsorship deals for their 22 other remaining Coca-Cola Championship fixtures.

Albion have only been able to offer short-term shirt sponsorship deals this season as they are not permitted under Premier League rules.