for the challenge of returning Somerset Trojans to their glory days.

Both he and the club, now back in the First Division after the withdrawal of Hotels, have a lot to prove.

Bascome was recently appointed to the post with the responsibility for rebuilding the programme in the Second Division after the team's relegation last season for the second time in three years.

But last week the club earned a reprieve and will find themselves back in the First Division.

Few would disagree that that is where a club of their stature deserve to be and now that rebuilding will have to be done in the top flight. With their history, Bascome sees the job as one of the biggest in local football.

"When I was initially asked about the job they were concerned about the overall restructuring of the programme, so I wrote up a three-year programme without any intention of being in the First Division,'' Bascome explained.

"We sat down to come up with a programme and put a lot of emphasis on the development of the individual technique of the kids and then increase the understanding as they come up into different age groups. They are looking at a three-year programme which is what they discussed with me.

"With this latest development I'm sure the focus might shift somewhat, with the emphasis being on keeping our First Division status. But I will still be spending a lot of hours with the kids and coaching at different age levels.'' Bascome's commitment, rather than his coaching ability, has apparently been questioned by some of the players.

But the recently-married Bascome's willingness to travel from his home in St.

David's a few days a week to do the job should speak for itself, he feels.

"Somerset are known to be champions and have a great history and it's a great facility for me to work at,'' he stated.

"It's one of the top appointments for me considering what they have established up there. I have a great respect for their history. When I was coming up you didn't go up to Somerset and expect to win.'' Bascome's aim is to restore that pride in the current players. He is averaging about 35 to 40 players at training sessions and when he recently called an 8.30 Sunday morning training session at Clearwater Beach at the other end of the Island more than 20 players showed up.

"That was to give them some idea of the commitment I am making to get to Somerset,'' said the coach -- who wanted to see if the players had equal commitment.

Two players, Rodney Bascome and Steven Arorash, have returned home to help rebuild the team.

"We also have a lot of junior players coming through and then you have a lot of players up there who weren't even playing,'' explained Bascome.

"I have never seen so many players come out of nowhere, not just fringe players but players who have some technical ability, but whose desire to play may have worn off for some other reason.

"With the people that I see up there I feel we can handle our own, but psychologically we are at a disadvantage because we are still considered a Second Division team. I think they feel they have something to prove.'' Bascome is considered one of the brightest coaches locally and he recently obtained a coaching diploma (Sao Paolo State Diploma) in Brazil. He has been holding coaching clinics at Dockyard for youngsters which included two hours of classroom work.

These days, at age 35 and with a nagging old knee injury refusing to go away, it would appear Bascome's playing days are over.

The question was put to him whether he might pull on the red and black of the Trojans.

"What would it sound like, Andrew Bascome playing for Somerset?'' he joked.

"A couple of people have put it by me.'' Bascome started last season as a player for Boulevard but the knee problems prevented him from finishing the campaign.

"My leg kept swelling up and I couldn't train through the week so it was disheartening for me and I'm sure for my teammates,'' he said. "After every game I had to ice it and the coach was losing the rhythm of the team because one week I couldn't make it.'' It would appear he is now ready to move full time into coaching.

"When I went to Brazil they did put a lot of emphasis on enthusiasm with the kids,'' explained Bascome.

"I went to the symposium in Florida twice and you have to get awarded to go to Brazil if you do well, so I went down to sit for my diploma. I go back in November for a special development programme where I get to go to a club and see how they bring up their juniors.'' Bascome has some exciting ideas he wants to introduce to the juniors at Somerset.

"I want to put on a couple of parents seminars to elighten them on the simple laws of the game so that when they get out to support their kids they are shouting out more constructive things,'' he said.

"Also with the under 12s, getting a nutritionist in to talk to them and getting them to understand the importance of diet. That was a negative when I was coming through and probably could have helped me get over the knocks that I got.'' ANDREW BASCOME -- Players have something to prove, the coach believes