championship droughts and the return of a native son.

Vasco fizzled in their encore performance, as did St. George's and St.

David's, while the likes of Devonshire Colts, PHC, Boulevard, North Village, Hotels and Somerset each had much to be thankful for at the end.

Colts were the story of the First Division as they finally disposed of the bridesmaid tag after suffering through what seemed an eternity of futility.

The date was March 22, 1997, when Colts secured the title, 24 years to the day when they had last claimed the title. St. George's served as final rung on the ladder for the Halloween Kids, who banished the already relegated east enders 4-0 on that memorable Saturday night at BAA Field.

True to form, the Bermuda Football Association were slow to react, taking a week to present the new champions their reward, although there could be no dampening of the Colts' joy.

Defending champions Vasco probably wish the season never started, such was the turmoil they endured in a roller-coaster year that ended devoid of a major trophy, with players openly feuding and their coach on his way out.

In the end, all they had was a second place finish in the league and the insignificant Charity Cup.

And though they remained in the hunt into the last weeks, the only prey they seemed intent on slaughtering was each other.

Typifying what transpired were incidents during and after a 2-1 loss to Wolves in the FA Cup quarter-finals. Sinclair Gibbons trashed the change room following his ejection from the game and later a fight broke out between substitute Albert Wolffe and Dwight Basden, Wolffe apparently riled by Basden's inclusion in the starting lineup despite being absent from training sessions.

It now remains to be seen what type of outfit Vasco put forth next season, with a mass exodus expected.

Cup kings Boulevard got things rolling November 11 and it was the unlikeliest of heroes that emerged from National Stadium.

Teenager Vernon Phillips served up the Blazers' second Martonmere Cup title in four years when he stole into space, got on the end of a Rodney Bascome pass and rifled home a right-foot shot three minutes into extra-time, giving his team a 1-0 victory over North Village.

Meanwhile, a long-serving veteran took centre stage on New Year's Day.

Brian (Bulla) Anderson, turning back the clock at Lords, provided a spectacular goal that assured PHC an unprecedented sixth Dudley Eve Trophy championship.

Village, having lost head coach Wendell Baxter in mid-stream, regrouped around his replacement Leroy Wilson and grabbed their first piece of silverware in four years when they upstaged Dandy Town in the final of the Friendship Trophy.

Somerset were also crowned Shield champs on that day, after laying waste to giant-killers Prospect.

Trojans also celebrated promotion back to the First Division, as did second Division champions Hotels, who ended unbeaten in league play in their first year back since withdrawing following the 1992-93 season.

Then came Sunday's FA Cup final, with Boulevard favoured to run roughshod over Wolves, instead having to call on all their years of experience to dispose of the pesky Devonshire crew.

As for disappointments, there was the relegation of St. George's and St.

David's, while the National Football Awards also fell by the wayside, victims of the sponsorship crunch.

Clyde Best returned to claim the helm as national coach, and the BFA began work on an ambitious six-year plan to raise Island soccer from the doldrums.

CROWNING GLORY -- Boulevard captain Leroy Stevens holds aloft the FA Cup after receiving it from Premier Pamela Gordon at the end of Sunday's victory over Wolves at National Stadium.