FIRST Minister Alex Salmond has described the Scottish Cup as the "jewel in the crown" of Scotland's Homecoming celebrations after securing a sponsorship partnership with the SFA.

This season's tournament will be known as the Homecoming Scottish Cup after Glasgow businessman Willie Haughey donated the branding rights of his £2million two-year sponsorship package to the Scottish Government. PROFILE WILLIE HAUGHEY is the executive chairman of City Refrigeration Holdings, a successful Glasgow-based business that reported a turnover of £230 million last year. The company is 98 per cent owned by its founders Haughey and his wife Susan, and has grown to employ 10,500 people through its servicing of the licensed trade and retail outlets. Haughey, OBE, has a long association with Scottish football. The 52-year-old was a Celtic director between 1994 and 1997 and has previously invested money in Livingston FC. Recently he has been involved in the redevelopment of Lesser Hampden and was looking for a way to fund youth football, after the financial crisis his plans for a National Academy in Bothwell.

The cup will be used to promote the Homecoming tourism drive, which has been designed to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns.

The trophy will then become a vehicle to promote healthy living and good citizenship.

Salmond said: "Thanks to the generosity of Willie Haughey, it's given us a no-brainer as a government.

"His sponsorship allows us to get across a whole range of important messages, about football for all, citizenship through football, healthy living, participation and lifestyle choices, anti-sectarianism. And the Homecoming Scottish Cup, a jewel in the crown of the Homecoming initiative.

"There is nothing as big as football in Scotland, this is our national sport.

"I think the Scottish Cup is the best club competition in the world, and just remember the Homecoming Scottish Cup will be broadcast in 40 nations - Australia, Canada and New Zealand among them.

"Everybody interested in Scotland wants to know what's happening in the Scottish Cup, so it's a great platform for the Homecoming message.

"That's exactly our target audience, people coming back to Scotland, perhaps to see a round in the Scottish Cup or participate in some of the other 150 events."

In the week when Scotland's two biggest banks were bailed out by Westminster, Salmond added: "In tough times, and everyone knows times are tough, everyone has to rally round, and all credit to Willie Haughey, he is rallying round by backing football."

The £1m-per-year deal, which may be extended beyond two years, will allow the SFA to divert money into youth football following a near 18-month search for a replacement to former sponsor Tennent's.

SFA president George Peat said: "We have a real chance to work with our partners in the government to use the cup to make a difference to Scotland and the lives of people right across the country.

"Willie Haughey deserves our support and thanks. His investment will mean that even more money can be spent on developing young footballers across Scotland."

Haughey has a long association with Scottish football, having served as a Celtic director and financial backer of Livingston.

The owner of City Refrigeration has recently been involved in the redevelopment of Lesser Hampden and was looking for a way to fund youth football after the financial crisis hit plans for an National Academy in Bothwell.

He said: "We all want Scotland to prosper, our people to be healthier and, of course, to keep on producing great footballers. I made this investment so we can work to make this happen.

"I feel very disappointed that we are not building the academy and felt a bit duty bound to try and put some money into grassroots football. The Scottish Cup was the perfect vehicle.

"I would have been getting a double win if we had got the branding. We would have been getting a lot out of it, then, rather than just giving something back.

"I'm really disappointed with the way things have happened as it was a dream to build the academy. I have already spent £5m on it. Unfortunately, we can't go forward with it. I have had £3.5 million of work done fixing up the ground. Sadly, it just came at the wrong time."