Former sports minister Richard Caborn slams "crazy" FA Cup sponsorship proposal

Former sports minister Richard Caborn has described the proposal to re-brand the FA Cup as "crazy".

Reports emerged earlier today that Emirates were expected to agree a three-year deal to sponsor the world's oldest tournament, renaming the competition the Emirates FA Cup.

No deal has yet been agreed by the Football Association, but it is understood that the proposal will be officially submitted to a board meeting on Thursday.

However, Caborn believes that the FA needs to protect its "greatest brand", and slammed the thought of renaming the 144-year-old competition as "commercialisation gone mad".

"This is absolutely crazy. It's commercialisation gone mad. You have the greatest name in football that has so many memories for so many people and you are just selling it off," he told PA.

"It is the FA's greatest brand and they should protect it. For people like me, who walked down Wembley Way with grandad, the FA Cup is something very special.

"It is not like the Premier League - it's something different to people who love football, and to take that away would be mad. If it is about getting extra money for the grass-roots, then I think the FA needs to go back to the drawing board and have another look at this."

The proposed deal with Emirates is reportedly worth £30m over three years.

The FA Cup has been without a main sponsor this season after an agreement with Budweiser expired at the end of the 2013-14 campaign. During the previous deal, the competition was referred to as the FA Cup with Budweiser, dodging controversy over renaming.