Members of the National Football Awards Association (NFAA) were yesterday still hopeful of an 11th hour reprieve for their cash starved end-of-season awards ceremony.

A February 28 deadline had earlier been set for garnering $10,000 needed to put on the show, which over the past three years has honoured the Island's best soccer players and coaches.

However, as of yesterday there were no takers. NFAA president Mark Wade, while admitting the outlook was bleak, refused to throw in the towel, saying that it would be a shame if his group were unable to proceed, especially with local soccer seemingly on the rebound.

"If we don't get a response by February 28 (today) we will be cancelling the event,'' said Wade, who along with fellow members Keith Steede, Mark Simons and Michael Trott comprise the organisation. "At this time we're waiting for responses from two companies. We're forever optimistic, but time is drawing near.

"It would be extremely disappointing if we are unable to put on a show this year after having tackled the problems of the last awards, which was lack of participation from players and clubs. We seemed to have addressed those problems, but now we're having problems raising money through the corporate community.

"Aside from not being able to reward players the other sad part about it is that the actual behaviour of players on the whole has improved. Whereas last season we had three incidents where players were attacking referees, this year we've had one. Those are improvements.'' Bermuda Football Association recently landed a $100,000 donation from reinsurance giant Centre Re, but Wade claimed the corporate community to be reluctant in their support for soccer.

There was also the problem of businesses thinking of the NFAA and BFA as one, where in reality they are totally autonomous.

"The BFA have instituted a six year plan, taking Bermuda to an ultimate goal of qualifying for the World Cup, so things are on the up and up, but we're still finding that most of the corporate community are still not interested in giving money towards football,'' continued Wade.

"I think one of our problems as well is that people seem to lump us together with the BFA. They think that our money should come from the BFA, as if we are a committee of the BFA, which we are not. We're a private organisation and, in a sense, we compete for the same money from the BFA.'' Local accounting firm Kempe and Whittle acted as title sponsors during the first three years of the awards, which, by most accounts, were successful, but following last year's ceremony the company declined to renew the deal, initiating the current dilemma.

Offered were an array of trophies, home crafted Bermuda cedar carvings and specialised rings to winners in categories of Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Young Player of the Year, Female Player of the Year, Referee of the Year, as well as for goalscoring.

AWARDS AWD