team can't bounce back from the recent resignation of coach Vic Ball to beat Vasco in tomorrow's FA Cup final at National Stadium (4.00 p.m.).

After all, the season began in similar adverse circumstances when Colts entered the new campaign not knowing where they would be playing their home matches after their contract with BAA was not initially renewed.

Then, when they went into the Charity Cup against last year's FA Cup winners, Boulevard, the 1997 league champions had to play in T-shirts after their jerseys failed to arrive.

"We have played through this all season,'' Burgess noted. "Leading up to the Charity Cup we weren't sure about the coaching situation initially with (David) Furbert and (Vic) Ball.

"We played through that and then the jerseys didn't come in because of the UPS strike, so we had to play in T-shirts. We didn't know where our home field was going to be so we have played through distractions all season and responded really well.

"Our biggest concern is bouncing back from the poor second half of the season that we've had and trying to put that behind us.'' It was Vasco who replaced Colts as league winners and now the dethroned champions can get one back on the season's top team by denying them a victory that would guarantee the triple crown -- the first team in 20 years to win the league, Friendship and FA Cup in the same season.

For good measure Vasco also won the Dudley Eve this season, narrowly beating Colts in the two-leg final.

No doubt Vasco will be happy to have the attention focused on Colts' problems on the eve of what could be the biggest achievement in their history.

"After three or four games into the second half of the season we realised we couldn't win the league and it affected our performances,'' said Burgess of the spirit within the team over the last couple of months.

"The guys didn't have much to play for as far as the league was concerned but they raised it during the cup games. Now we have to go out there with a purpose because there is so much at stake.'' Over the last few years Colts have made a habit of reaching finals but not winning them. Certainly they would like to reverse that trend and win the FA for the first time since 1973-74. Since that last victory they have lost in four FA finals.

"I don't really have a concern about how Vasco come into the game but I'm concerned about how we approach the game,'' said the captain. "I know they are going to put out their strongest side and will probably be the best opponents we can have in Bermuda. So we need to raise our game to that level.

We've done it before, we've just got to be focused.'' Added the defender: "We've always given them a run, besides the last league game we played them. We feel we were unfortunate in the Dudley Eve in the first leg when we should have blown them away. We have had problems scoring goals and if we don't rectify that we probably won't be successful again because we have to score to win.'' Burgess stressed that Colts were more concerned with winning the cup than preventing Vasco from joining the list of triple crown champions.

"It's 11 versus 11 and last year you had a Second Division team, Wolves, give Boulevard a run in the final,'' he said. "As a Second Division team we gave Somerset a run in the final (1987-88).

"The triple crown doesn't concern us, whether they have won one trophy or four trophies doesn't really matter to us. It's a cup game that we want to win, obviously.'' Colts, coached in the interim by Quilton Joell, will be without midfielder Mark (Beaver) Ray while the club were hoping to get clearance from Jahmah Samuels' employers for him to play in the final. Vasco may have to go into the game without Meshach Wade because of problems he is facing with the Regiment.

The influential midfielder was listed as a substitute in last weekend's Friendship final but was not seen and indications are he will again be missing.

Tomorrow's action starts with the women's FA Cup final at noon when Wolves Girls attempt to retain their title against league champions Rude Girls.

Wolves Girls will be missing one of their key players, Raneika Bean, who is representing the Carifta Games team in Trinidad this weekend.

At 2.00, the Crystal Palace final will take place between North Village and Dandy Town.

While Bermuda's Shawn Goater wonders about his future in the English First Division with Manchester City, the team he just left are now certain of playing there next season.

Bristol City ensured promotion to the First Division after a three-year absence without even kicking a ball when third-placed Grimsby could only manage a 1-1 draw away to Wycombe.

Bristol City's promotion push was built on Goater's 18 goals before his move on transfer deadline day to struggling Manchester City.