five years.

Struggling for players after several members from last year's team obtained transfer releases, the decision to pull out came after a poorly attended training session on Thursday evening.

"I'd be embarrassed to tell you how many turned out for training,'' said president Andrew Starling yesterday, just hours after informing Bermuda Football Association of the club's decision to withdraw.

"Obviously I'm very disappointed, but I'm afraid we didn't have any alternative.'' Starling said the club had commitments from only 12 players, well short of the minimum number of 18 that the BFA require. It is the second time in five years that the club have folded while in the First Division. This time their departure could be permanent, said Starling.

"To be honest I think the BFA would be aloof to have us come back for a third time,'' said the president.

"I'm not ruling that out, but I don't see it as a likelihood.'' Hotels have registered an under-13 team and under-15 teams this season.

"Obviously if we had started our junior programme earlier we wouldn't be in this situation as I'm sure other clubs will point out to us.'' The move by Hotels may just be a reprieve for Somerset Trojans. In 1992-93 when Hotels pulled out, the BFA made the decision to keep relegated St.

David's in the First Division so as to maintain 10 teams in the top division.

However, restructuring plans by the BFA call for the top division to be slimmed to eight teams after this upcoming season -- with three going down and one coming up -- so the decision may be made to stay with nine teams and then relegate two more at the end of the season.

Hotels had only just obtained the services of Nick Jones as coach to replace Robert Calderon who stood down after last season.

Jones was previously in charge of Hotels when they finished second in the league in 1990-91, a point behind Boulevard. He also took the team to the CONCACAF Tournament.

The delay in naming a coach resulted in some of the players getting restless and Jones' appointment apparently came too late to save the club.

"There has got to be some blame in there for not finding a coach earlier,'' Jones stated.

"There is still a misconception that Hotels are an ex-pat club and that people are getting paid.'' He said it was a sad situation for local football with clubs struggling for quality players.

The decision by the clubs this week to reject the roster system proved to be Hotels' death knell as they were banking on attracting players who failed to make their clubs' rosters.

"Football on the Island needs a lot of work,'' Jones warned.

"If there wasn't financial incentive bonuses at Vasco da Gama I'm sure they would also be in dire straits as they have been in previous years.''