First Division side Paget dropped a bombshell yesterday when they confirmed to the Bermuda Football Association that their return to the football league would not be happening due to a lack of player commitment.

Paget, who dropped out after being relegated two seasons ago, were pencilled in for an immediate return after sitting out last season.

However, the BFA confirmed in an e-mail yesterday evening that the club would not be returning after all.

“The president of Paget Football Community Club, Jaime Ramsay, stated that their executive team have now made the difficult decision to pull out of the 2020/2021 season due to lack of players commitment,” the BFA statement read.

“He then went on to say that the club intends to continue to work on rebuilding a solid foundation for our community club through the youth.

“The Bermuda Football Association sends best wishes to Paget Football Community Club, in their efforts to rebuild the club.”

Their withdrawal reduces the First Division to eight teams, though there was no mention from the BFA if it planned to re-arrange the schedule going forward to make up for teams having a bye every weekend.

Because of the withdrawal, St David’s have been given a bye tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Devonshire Cougars and Dandy Town will return to Goose Gosling Field tonight for their second meeting in three days as the 2020-21 season welcomes its first full slate of league matches this weekend.

Last weekend’s opening Premier Division fixtures were called off because of the approaching Hurricane Teddy, but with no such threat forecast all the matches will go ahead as scheduled.

Cougars and Town, who played to an exciting 1-1 draw in the Dudley Eve Trophy on Wednesday night, will meet at 8pm, looking to carry on where they left off in midweek’s encounter.

Town gave a debut to new signing Cecoy Robinson, the former PHC midfielder, who fitted in well in midfield before he was substituted in the 73rd minute.

Tomorrow’s fixtures will see North Village beginning their title defence with a home match against promoted side St George’s Colts at Bernard Park.

Village have endured a slow start to the new campaign, losing in both the Charity Cup to Southampton Rangers and in midweek aginst Somerset in the Dudley Eve.

Devonshire Colts, the other promoted side, start with a home fixture at the National Stadium against Somerset Trojans.

Their home ground, Police Field, is not available, so the teams will make a first time appearance at the National Stadium for a league fixture.

PHC will host Robin Hood at PHC Field where both teams have bolstered their ranks with some new faces.

The Zebras, with Winston Trott Jr replacing Robert Bean as coach, have lost more than they picked up with nine players leaving, including experienced pair Robinson and Tre Ming who has already made his first appearance for new club Southampton Rangers.

Dupray Joell, Kadeem Abraham and Kenji Griffith have all signed for Somerset Eagles while Jade Morrissey has transferred to Robin Hood along with North Village pair Justin Bell and Tariq Bean.

X-Roads take on Southampton Rangers at Garrison Field in the other match, with the home team featuring new signing Ian Coke from Boulevard.

Rangers, who showed in the Charity Cup win over Village that they could be one of the teams to watch this season, have picked up some key signings in the likes of Ming, Vernon Perinchief, Dion Stovell and Tre Manders.

In the First Division, St David’s and Hamilton Parish look like being early season promotion tips after both boosted their ranks with several signings during the summer.

Hamilton Parish play Vasco at Bernard Park in their season-opener while Young Men’s Social Club take on Wolves at the National Stadium.

Flanagan’s Onions entertain Boulevard at Goose Gosling Field in the other match.

Boulevard could also be in the hunt for promotion after just four players departed in the summer, the most prominent being Coke.

Otherwise the nucleus of their squad from last season remains.