BERMUDIANS are being asked to help Dale Butler score another success with his latest book - a volume documenting Bermuda's long football history - by loaning their soccer memorabilia, photos and stories to the local author.

Dale Butler, who has written more than 45 books and monographs about Bermuda including My Way - The Autobiography of Calvin "Bummy" Symonds and Marathon - All the Facts, Winners and Drama, is compiling a picture book of Bermuda football and its "outstanding" players.

"Football and cricket were recently designated our 'national sports', and in light of that I have decided to document Bermuda's great football history," Mr. Butler said. "The fact that it is a pictorial history will allow people to go through and find pictures of their fathers, brothers and uncles.

"People like seeing the contributions people close to them have made to the sport."

Mr. Butler recently completed The Life of Ed Sherlock, a top runner who won the May 24 Marathon Derby six times,a record since eclipsed by Kavin Smith, to be released on Labour Day.

"I prefer to write detailed histories that focus on individual aspects of Bermuda's past," said Mr. Butler.

His football book, yet to be titled, will be an illustrated history of Bermuda's football teams and players. It will feature photos from all the sports clubs.

"I've been collecting photos of football and cricket stars over the years," he said. "I decided to revive my collection of Bermuda photographs with a view to publishing it. My son, Jay, has been meeting with various football players and ensuring that we have the proper names on the photos."

The book is still in the development stages and photos can still be added to the book. Mr. Butler also hopes the book will be the beginning of a series of similar books.

"We are asking people to contact us if they have any photos, so we can expand the collection that will appear in part one," said Mr. Butler. "We are calling it 'Part One' because people will always find photos and we want to continue the growth of the collection."

Mr. Butler sees the book as a tool for education as well as reminiscence.

"I think the book will be a benefit to Bermuda's sportsmen, to students and to Bermudians, in general. I hope to see copies in schools as well as the Bermuda Football Hall of Fame when it is completed."

The hall of fame is a project in the planning stages. Organisers hope it will be a museum to celebrate Bermuda's football achievements. Planners recently asked the public to submit suggestions saying who should be in the hall of fame.

He said: "Bermudians are very sports minded and there's a great deal of interest in the project, especially amongst men. They have a real love for sport. It is often said that many Bermudians buy the paper, look at the front page and flip straight to the sports section.

"We have an aging population and the older people become nostalgic. They remember the great days of football when players respected the referee and sportsmen didn't swear. These things bring back memories. Also, many of our sportsmen have died and this is a great way to remember them."

There is no firm date for the release of the book although Mr. Butler said it won't be available for several months.

"It is a question of finding sponsors, more pictures and a place to store copies of the book," he said. "I think next Christmas or Father's Day would be an ideal time to release the book."

If you have photos or if you would like to help identify players in photos Mr. Butler already has please call his pager at 297-8931.