TWO Black Country institutions have joined forces - after Albion struck a one-game shirt sponsorship deal with Bathams.

The logo of the Brierley Hill-based brewery, which produces a range of traditional cask beers, including the famour Bathams Bitter, will appear on the front of the club's shirt against Preston on Saturday (ko 3pm).

The shirt sponsorship will promote the Bathams brand and also serve as a lasting tribute to lifelong Albion fan DBA 'Arthur' Batham, who recently died aged 83.

Brierley Hill-born Arthur (pictured below outside Wembley) was a season ticket holder in the Rainbow Stand, Birmingham Road End and West Stand for the past 20 years, along with sons Tim and Matt, who now run the company.

Arthur started attending Hawthorns matches in the 1930s and enjoyed his last game on Boxing Day, watching the Baggies' 2-0 victory over Peterborough from the Tony Brown Suite.

Adrian Wright, Albion's Director of Sales & Marketing (designate), said: "We're delighted to have struck this partnership with Bathams.

"Both the football club and Bathams are Black Country institutions and I am sure this sponsorship deal will strike a chord with many of our supporters.

"The shirt sponsorship is also a fitting tribute to Arthur, who I am sure would have been proud to see his family name on the shirt of the club he followed so avidly."

Albion have produced 50 limited edition shirts featuring the Bathams logo, sized S-XL, which will go on sale in the Stadium Megastore only on Saturday from 9am priced £39.99.

Bathams are one of five companies - alongside Blue Square, Victor Chandler, Sbobet and esprit UK - to have struck one-game shirt partnerships with the club this season.

But time is running out for businesses and organisations who want to follow suit - because the club have sewn up sponsorship deals for five of their remaining nine fixtures, including all of their home games.

This means the only matches still available are the trips to Reading, Watford, Doncaster and Crystal Palace, which is live on Sky Sports.

The club are willing to discuss single or multiple-game shirt sponsorship deals for these games.

Albion announced in late November they were ready to open talks with companies about single or multiple game 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 on a match-by-match basis.

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

The club have also donated the advertising space on the front of their shirts to support the DEC's Haiti Earthquake Appeal and the aid effort in Gonzalo Jara's earthquake-hit home city of Talcahuano.

For further information about Albion's match-by-match shirt sponsorship, please contact Adrian Wright on 07984 564 835 or at adrian.wright@wbafc.co.uk