IT WAS hardly the most earth-shattering news to appear in these pages over the past week or so.

Nevertheless, North Village president Shervin Dill's proclamation that his club would no longer tolerate the nickname `Red Devils' has proven something of a conversation piece.

For as long as most Bermudians can remember, in fact since shortly after the club was formed in 1957, the North Shore boys have carried that moniker with no apparent repercussions.

And for Dill now to announce that the nickname is no longer appropriate, that the term `Devils' suggests evil, and that isn't reflective of the North Village philosophy, quite frankly borders on the absurd.

Until he mentioned it, it's unlikely that anyone in local soccer circles gave the matter a second thought.

Village have long been able to hold their heads high as one of the most successful developmental clubs, one of the best run, most respected and community-oriented of all Bermuda sports institutions.

And they have been the Red Devils as much as Somerset have been the Trojans, PHC the Zebras and Devonshire Recreation Club the Cougars.

For various reasons, nearly all soccer clubs the world over are handed a nickname, a tag that sticks whether they like it or not.

Clubs don't choose their own nicknames. They evolve for a variety of reasons, from the ground where a team plays, the strip they wear to the area they represent.

Had Dill made the same declaration anywhere else, he would likely have been laughed at.

Fans will call their team what they choose. The club rarely have a say in the matter.

Ironically, the richest and arguably most successful club in the world, Manchester United, are also referred to as the Red Devils.

One could imagine the reaction if their president made a similar announcement to Dill's.

They'd be ridiculed from one end of the country to the other, with opposing teams' fans chanting `Red Devils' incessantly.

Dill will be aware that while `Devils' is just a nickname for the soccer team, it happens to be the official title of one of the club's two netball teams, the other being known as the Angels.

Yet it would be ridiculous to suggest that any of the players on those teams are judged on their respective names. All that matters is their performance on the court, and it's the same with the Village soccer side. They'll be judged on how they play.

In the meantime, if supporters choose to refer to Village as the Rams, as Dill as has suggested, that's up to them.

But that might be wishful thinking.

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WHAT more can be said.

Shaun Goater's hat-trick for Manchester City against Gillingham last Saturday took his tally to the season to 20. That's not only more than anybody else at the club, or anybody else in the English First Division, it's also the best strike rate in the entire English League.

The former Red Devil - Goater played for both North Village and Manchester United - seems to get better with age, although City boss Kevin Keegan not only refused to acknowledge his star striker's latest accomplishment, but actually berated the 31-year-old for not converting more of his chances.

That said, right now Keegan probably wouldn't swap him for any other player in the country.

- ADRIAN ROBSON