The Bermuda Football Association's restructuring plans are apparently not going down well with the top Commercial League clubs.

And the two division champions of last year, BAA Wanderers and Forties, fear they will be forced to fold because of age restrictions being placed on players.

The BFA announced last week that major changes are in store under their Recommendations for Restructuring in Football.

The Commercial League will be called the Veterans Division for the 1999-2000 season and will be for players over 35. The BFA is anticipating some teams will enter the new Second Division and old teams such as Port Royal and BAA Green Knights to show interest in returning to the league.

But from the reaction yesterday, some of the Commercial teams would like to see things remain as they are.

"I'm more concerned that they are changing something that isn't broken,'' said secretary Jeremy Franklin of Group A league runners-up Robin Hood. " These people who are under 35 who want a social game of football will have nowhere to play.'' The Commercial League has been attracting younger and younger players over the last few years but caters mostly to players past their prime who still wish to remain competitive.

Somerset Extros, who defaulted their last couple of league games last season so as not to get promoted to the top division, are content to play in the less competitive lower division. They are one of the exceptions.

Despite the influx of young players, Franklin says the Commercial League hasn't necessarily gotten more competitive.

"It's always been competitive,'' he said.

Another change not going down too well with officials contacted yesterday is the plan to allow unlimited substitutions in the new Veterans Division with players allowed to go off and come off as they like.

The BFA met with Commercial League clubs -- about seven showed up -- last month when the plans were discussed. It is understood correspondence will be sent to the clubs next week detailing latest developments.

"My suggestion to the BFA when we met with them was to retain a Commercial Division for those who want to do that as well as an over 35s because there is room for both as there are two Commercial Divisions at the moment,'' said Forties official Eric Bell. " ... I don't know if next year Forties will have a team, based upon the criteria they have set out.

"I don't think we'll have enough people over 35 who will want to play.'' Added Bell: "I remember Cal Dill, who used to play for Bermuda, came and signed for Forties when he was 30, 31 because he said he had finished at the highest level and couldn't commit to training three times a week.

"Then you had some people who didn't like the setup within the First Division and that's why you have some of the younger players coming over. They knew the Commercial Division was a friendly division but competitive.'' The BFA took their proposals to their affiliates last week, when they were accepted. However, most of the Commercial clubs were not present as few are connected with affiliate clubs.

Jim Gallagher, coach of top Commercial team, BAA Wanderers, feels the changes will seriously affect his team.

"I can only speak for my team and it looks as though our team, at the end of next season, will just fold,'' said Gallagher.

"A lot of our older guys are getting up there but they are not interested in playing in an over 35s where you are just walking on and off when you feel like.

"Over 35s with unlimited substitutions, to me that's just a kick in the pot, really. That's like going out on Sunday mornings and having a kick and then walking away when you've had enough.'' Gallagher, because his team is part of an affiliated club, attended the BFA's meeting with the affiliates last week. They, he said, were told that seven Commercial teams showed up for their meeting with the association and were more or less in favour of the restructuring.

Stephen Paynter, secretary of St. George's All-Stars, who were relegated last season, said his team is also built around a few younger players and they enjoy the competitive nature of the league.

"What do we do with the guys who effectively make us a team?'' he wondered.

"We are in a position where we do have a mixture, a blend of veteran players as well as some of the younger ones who are keen for the competitive edge.

"From that point we have mixed views in our camp. Certainly we would like to remain competitive and be able to play the better teams, but at the same time we would have to attract older guys to either stay in or come back out of retirement to fulfill the aims of the restructuring. Paynter says even the unlimited subsitutions could create an imbalance, especially favouring teams that had its full compliment of substitutions against those who mave have only one or two subs.