EA SPORTS has teamed up with FourFourTwo magazine to co-sponsor Coca-Cola League 1 side Swindon Town. The FIFA 10 logo will stand proud on the front of the team’s away kit for the 09/10 season, and on the back of the shirt at home games.

Says EA’s PR supremo in the UK, Shawn White: “EA SPORTS is excited to be working in partnership with FourFourTwo to co-sponsor Swindon Town Football Club. We both recognise the importance of engaging with clubs from all divisions and we look forward to developing a close relationship with the club, supporters and local community.”

Frankly, we here at Off The Bench are just chuffed to know FIFA 10’s logo will spend a whole season bouncing around on football pitches, right where it belongs. And we’ll be doing our very best to get down to Swindon at every available opportunity to get to know the lads (and hand them their derrières at FIFA 10) and bring you updates during the course of the year.

For those readers outside the UK who may not get much of an opportunity to see below the Premiership, you’ll be able to discover all the League 1 teams properly in FIFA 10. It’s no slouch as a league, featuring the likes of Leeds United, Charlton Athletic and Southampton, all of whom have featured in the Premiership in recent years.

Southampton, in fact, is the beloved team of fellow Off The Bench blogger and FIFA podcast co-host Stevie Morgan. Which should be fun, for me at least - the team is starting the season docked 10 points after financial mismanagement last year. And I myself can look to fellow League 1 competitors Yeovil Town for a connection - it’s my home town.

So to say we’re looking forward to getting involved via our new mates at Swindon would be something of an understatement. Keep it on Off The Bench for updates on all that in due course…