BAA are set to return to the Bermuda Football Association leagues, two years after sensationally dropping out as a Premier Division team in the wake of an exodus of players.

BAA, who won promotion with Paget at the end of the 2017-18 season, managed to finish sixth the next season in the Premier Division to secure a spot in the Dudley Eve Trophy tournament.

However, they were unable to fulfil that obligation after 23 players left their ranks during the summer transfer period, coinciding with the departure of director of football Kenny Thompson to coach North Village.

BAA and Paget finished with identical 14-2-2 records in the First Division, with BAA taking the title on goal difference. The following season, BAA finished in sixth place with a 7-2-9 record.

Paget, who finished level on 11 points with Somerset Trojans, were relegated and also withdrew from the league just before the new season started. The Trojans got a reprieve, staying in the Premier Division to fill the void left by BAA.

In BAA’s case, it was the third time in 26 years that a team had withdrawn from the league while in the top division, Hotels International (1993) and Vasco da Gama (2000) being the others.

But now BAA are returning to the league and will join Vasco in the First Division, with Andrew Bascome, who coached them to promotion, ready to tackle the task of rebuilding the programme at Goose Gosling Field.

“Bermuda Athletic Association are pleased to announce it is re-entering a team into the BFA’s First Division after reshaping our football programme to meet the challenges of modern football, creating a professional and inclusive youth programme that provides players with the necessary skills and abilities to take the sport as far as they wish, to seek scholarships to further education, as well as play in the BFA leagues,” the club said in a statement.

“Andrew Bascome, who will serve as the head coach of our new First Division team, is not only the most decorated coach in Bermuda, but is also the coach that led BAA to win the First Division title and promotion to the Premier League back in 2018.

“Coach Bascome also took that team to a sixth-place finish in its first Premier League season and, with his continued dedication to the development of the youth players, we are confident that BAA and its players will become successful.”

The club is hoping Bascome will again be able to attract new players before the transfer deadline on July 15. The club’s goal, president Mike McGrath said, is to return to where they left off three seasons ago.

“I am delighted that we have reached the stage in the development of our football programme where we can re-enter the BFA senior leagues, and look forward to a future return to Premier League football with BAA competing against the best for silverware in all competitions,” McGrath said.

“In Andrew, we know we have one of the top coaches and programme managers in Bermuda and are excited by both the player development he oversees, as well as his efforts to strive to continually work to improve our coaches to ensure a continual stream of both talented players and excellent coaches.”

The club is inviting any players who are interested in joining BAA this season to contact the president at President@baa.bm or Bascome at coachbascome@gmail.com

Training sessions for interested players will be held on July 6 and 8 at Goose Gosling Field from 7pm.