Up until 1992-93, the Dudley Eve Trophy was the only domestic title to have eluded Somerset Trojans.

A year after the competition’s inauguration in 1978-79, Trojans had clashed with North Village Red Devils in the then two-legged final played over the Christmas holiday among the top four Premier Division clubs at the time.

Village won 3-1 on aggregate.

Trojans were to endure a 14-year Dudley Eve drought before they finally won a title in their seventh appearance in the final under the captaincy of Dennis Brown.

Brown, the current coach of Trojans who take on Boulevard tomorrow night at Somerset Cricket Club in their opening Dudley Eve clash, is a member of an exclusive group to have won the competition both as a player and coach.

In 2001-02, Brown guided Wolves to Dudley Eve glory, the last Premier Division club to win the title under the original format.

“To win the Dudley Eve with Wolves was a great, great feeling, because they were hungry for success and the club is like one big happy family.

“As a player at Somerset I played in seven finals and only won one of them,” Brown recalled.

“But my thoughts on the Dudley Eve Tournament over the years have always been that we must never forget why we are playing the competition in the first place, and that is to honour the late great gentleman himself.

“We must never forget the individuals who have paved the way for us to enjoy our sport. And it is a shame that some don’t value the past achievements and are in certain areas for self gratification.”

Brown broke into Trojans’ Premier side at the tender age of 16 under coach Randy Horton — the Island’s current Sports Minister.

He attended West End Primary, where his talents were first unearthed by then PE teacher Lionel Turner, before graduating to Warwick Secondary School where Trojans coach Horton was principal.

“Mr. Turner, who was my PE teacher at West End, invited me to try out for the Under-15 bantam team (Somerset) as a nine-year-old. And when I made the team that really inspired me go on and strive for more.

“Also growing up in Somerset, my neighbourhood was very, very competitive and we played football every single day,” Brown recalled.

During that time Trojans were a dominant force in local football with a team containing some of the finest players ever to grace these shores.

“It was unbelievable playing with so many great players in Somerset. When I was invited to train with the team as a 15-year-old, I was in awe of players like George Brangman, Rudy Minors, Dwayne (Tricks) Richardson, Coolridge (Bumla) Bell, Steve Riley, Lance Brown, Lew Simmons and the most underrated player of all-time, Larry Simmons.

“And the players always took a professional approach to the game whether in training or matches,” Brown said.

At the time Brown also admired players such as Danvers Seymour, Wendell (Joe) Trott and Richard (Dirt) Simmons.

“I should really say the whole Somerset team of the ‘70s because they were just pretty to watch,” he added. “At that time everyone loved Pele, but I also admired ‘The Kaiser’ (Franz Beckenbauer) from Germany as well.”

During his career in domestic football, Brown won five Premier Division championships with Trojans, three of them in a row unbeaten, two FA Cups, two Friendship Trophy titles, four Martonmere Cups, one Dudley Eve Trophy, two Bermuda Football Association MVP Awards and was the first footballer to receive Government’s prestigious Sportsman of the Year Award.

Brown also captained Bermuda in a Schoolboy Select to England, Bermuda’s Under-16 youth squad, Under-23 and national team.

“I think my biggest achievement internationally was being involved in the 1992 World Cup qualifying campaign and also in the CAC Games in Cuba in 1983 when we got to the semi-finals, but lost to Mexico 2-1 after extra-time,” Brown said.

“Locally my biggest achievement was to win the league three years in a row undefeated. And to coach Somerset is a dream come true for me because that is the team that I idolised as a young boy and played for for so many years.

“And before I hang up my coach’s whistle, I would like to see my team in a better state than when I took over and for the team to return to its former prominence.”