It seems an eternity ago that Somerset stood aloft as the shining gem of Bermuda soccer.

They were the Trojans and just like the wooden horse during the siege of Troy they carried a band of irrepressible warriors, discarding all that would seek to challenge them.

Counted were a dizzying array of conquests, including nine First Division titles, nine FA Cups, eight Friendship Trophies, six Martonmere Cups and two Dudley Eve Trophies. They also managed to achieve the original triple crown -- Friendship, FA Cup and League -- three times as Somerset was rightly dubbed `Silver City'.

Yet somehow things went awry. Older players retired while some of the more skillful youth drafted in to take over left disillusioned by a perceived lack of attention to player needs by management or were sucked away by rivals offering cash.

Clearly a wound existed, but rather than make major repairs it was allowed to bleed and from being First Division, Dudley Eve and Martonmere Cup champions in 1992-93 they inched closer and closer to death.

1993-94 saw them end up fourth, without a trophy to their name. They recovered in '95 to place third while claiming the Dudley Eve Trophy and being losing finalists in the Friendship.

All was well. At least so it seemed.

However, exposure came last season when Somerset stumbled through their worst ever campaign, finishing ninth and suffering the ignominy of being relegated to the Second Division for the first time in club history.

Then coach Josef Gooden pointed at complacency among the squad as well as failings by the administration to rid the team of "disruptive forces''.

Indeed Somerset had hit rock bottom. No longer revered, they were to be scorned.

Until now.

This season Somerset invested in the past in an attempt to reap future dividends.

Coach Randy Horton stands as the representative of a bygone era and it is his intention to reincarnate that once proud history.

`The Bear' -- as he was fondly referred to during his latter days as a player when his presence alone served to lift the team -- promised Sunday's claiming of the Second Division Shield to be merely the beginning.

"This definitely is the rebirth,'' said the never bashful Horton. "The rest of the league can rest assured that the Trojans will be a force and make a run at everything available to us.'' Such confidence was expressed despite the fact that Somerset struggled for much of the time against Prospect -- a team who anchored the Second Division -- before a late burst allowed them to win comfortably 4-1.

Clearly Somerset will need to fortify their ranks if they are to do as the coach expects, particularly in defence.

"I think that we'll have some other players join this group. I expect that we will see this squad strengthened by Somerset players who may have spent a moment elsewhere,'' continued Horton, a former professional player for the New York Cosmos. "I think the defence was sleeping (Sunday), they must have been out all night, but higher expectations will be held next year.

"I've been soft on them this year, but look out. They may not fully appreciate (the privilege of being allowed back in the First Division) but come the first training session they will.'' Horton said that he was satisfied with having achieved two of the three goals set at the beginning of the campaign in taking the Shield and earning promotion, while placing second to Hotels in the league. He noted debts to be owed to fellow members of his staff for their dedicated service, including assistant coach Donnie Simmons, manager Alfred Maybury, medic Galen Richardson along with Reginald Gumbs and Rudy Minors.

At a time when loyalty has all but disappeared, Horton is striving to revive the fierce allegiance between player and club, something he indicated would carry them a long way.

"A bigger heart is all we need. We have the players.''