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VIRGIN Money has been confirmed as Newcastle United’s new shirt sponsor after signing a two-year deal.

The new strip will be unveiled tonight against Manchester United.

The firm also said the first 10,000 supporters with 2011/12 season shirts that bring them to the club shop will receive a free Virgin Money update to their top.

The Virgin Money logo will appear on the shirts for the remainder of this season, and the 2012/13 and 2013/14 campaigns.

The cost of the deal has not been disclosed.

Jayne-Anne Gadhia, chief executive at Virgin Money, said: "Now that Virgin Money and Northern Rock are united as one business, it gives us great pleasure to continue the shirt sponsorship of Newcastle United Football Club.

“The Northern Rock sponsorship started in 2003 and it is an important link to the North East which we are pleased to continue.

"Combined with our sponsorship of the Virgin London Marathon and the Edinburgh Festival ‘Fringe on the high street’, the shirt sponsorship of Newcastle United Football Club embeds our involvement in the communities we serve.

“The first 10,000 supporters with 2011/12 season shirts that bring them to the Club shop will receive a free Virgin Money update to their shirt. Availability of this new branding will be posted on the club website but is expected at the end of the week."

Newcastle United managing director Derek Llambias added: "We're delighted to secure this new deal with Virgin Money and we look forward to enjoying a mutually beneficial partnership over the coming seasons. It is an excellent deal for both parties and we're very happy to have them on board."

The move marks the end of Northern Rock's eight-year relationship with the St James’ Park outfit.

It comes after Gosforth-based Northern Rock was sold to Richard Branson’s Virgin empire in a £747m deal in November – which included 75 branches and 2,100 staff, one million customers, a £14bn mortgage book and retail deposits worth £16bn

The buy-out secured jobs in the region after it was revealed they were protected from compulsory redundancies for the next three years.

Newcastle United’s latest sponsorship deal was secured after Ms Gadhia visited the region yesterday.

The Rock secured a deal which was worth up to £10m in January 2010 to sponsor Newcastle United for four years, but the firm enacted a break clause in November to cancel that deal at the end of the current season.

:: We want to know what you think of the sponsorship change, so let us know in the comments below. The best may be published in the paper.