CLYDE Best has memories of playing in El Salvador's National Stadium in 1968 while David Bascome has memories from playing there in 1992.

And both of them have the same worry.

How will Bermuda's amateurs ? especially the younger ones ? react to the tens of thousands of fanatical Salvadorian fans who can easily get out of control? After all, this is a country which was involved with the famous "Football War" with Honduras back in 1969.

Best, a columnist, was just a young 17-year-old kid back in 1968 when he played for Bermuda against Guatemala at the "neutral" venue in El Salvador (). A few months later the Somerset and Bermuda striker would go on to fame with West Ham in the English top flight.

And while Best saw nasty fans shout racist insults at him during his time in England with West Ham, he said nothing comes close to playing against a Central or South American country in a World Cup qualifier.

"I have been there (El Salvador) once before. It can be a cauldron ? especially when you are playing against the national team. It is a war. Anytime you go down there to play an international it is war."

Best said he worries about how the Bermuda players will react when they see 60,000 or more fans waiting to abuse them at the National Stadium. "When it is an important game the stadium will be packed to the rafters ? all the important games down there are. Firecrackers will be going off, there will be armed police and dogs...everything. Bermuda players should expect to see things thrown at them ? especially those plastic packets full of urine!

"They are going to handle that kind of stuff. And the thing is, you cannot really prepare for this type of thing ? you have to experience it. You need 20 or 30 games having that stuff going on for you to really close it off from your mind. I am especially concerned with our young players ? how will they react. It will be a real awakening for some of them."

Although Best said that Shaun Goater has experienced a lot of abuse ? especially when he played against the dreaded Millwall in England ? playing in Central and South America can be even worse. "Shaun has played at Millwall but I think the game down there might even frighten him. However he experienced playing in El Salvador in 1992. You have to understand for those people in Central and South America, soccer is life and death. It will certainly be interesting."

David Bascome, who plays for the Baltimore Blast of the Major Indoor Soccer League and who played against El Salvador in the second phase of World Cup qualifying in 1992, said: "It will be tough down there for our guys."

Bermuda won the first leg in Bermuda 1-0 on October 18 and then Bermuda flew to El Salvador for the second leg played on November 1.

Bascome remembers: "El Salvador is a different experience! It is always tough playing internationals away from home but it was especially tough playing in El Salvador. Even when we came on to the pitch the fans were throwing those little plastic bags full of you know what! They throw anything at you." Bermuda lost the match 4-1 in El Salvador.

And Bascome said that Bermuda's amateur players will find it even harder than the pros like Shaun Goater or John Barry Nusum.

"One of the biggest things about being a professional player is maintaining your focus and concentration and that will be tough for Bermuda's amateur players. They are going to have to be very prepared. Playing away from home in front of a lot of people is hard. The players will find that the crowd will do anything to distract you. It is so important to maintain your focus.

"In Central and South America they are very passionate. They will be looking to take your head off ? whatever it takes to win."

Bascome said that when Bermuda went down for the second leg in 1992, the "fans there were terrified they would go out to us".

He said: "Our players are going to have to try and shut everything out. The problem for Bermuda is that concentration is different from professionals and amateurs. The crowd will do anything to help their team win. If they can intimidate you they will and if they see that you can be intimidated then they get on your more. They will pick on players.

"And you have to remember that the game will be played in front of thousands and thousands of fans. When we played I think there were about 60,000 fans there. This is a World Cup qualifier ? this is very big. Our mental state will have to be very high if we want to do anything."