Somerset Trojans will add a new chapter to their decorated history at the Caribbean Football Union Club Championship in Haiti next month.

The defending Premier Division champions are making their debut in the Concacaf Champions League qualifier as reward for winning a record-tying tenth league title and first in two decades last season.

Trojans, the first Bermudian club to feature in the tournament in four years, have been pitted in Group Two and will play two preliminary-round matches in three days against hosts Don Bosco and La Gauloise of Guadeloupe.

Alfred Maybury, the Somerset Cricket Club president, under whose auspices Trojans fall, said representing Bermuda in the regional tournament is an honour, and he is confident the club will do themselves and the Island proud.

“We are representing Bermuda which is part of the incentive for the team to do well,” Maybury said. “It’s a big honour and one of the rewards for winning the league.

“It’s the first leg and we’re hoping that Somerset does what they always do, and that’s shine.

“When we get to that point it will be like a cup game, and Somerset doesn’t like to lose cup games. When we see silverware, we’re looking to add it to the cabinet.

“The tournament features the league champions and so for us it’s been a long time coming with winning the league. But now that we’ve done it, the guys are really interested in participating and so we are going for it.”

Trojans kick off their campaign against Don Bosco on February 24 at the Stade Sylvio Cator in Port-au-Prince, before facing La Gauloise in their final preliminary match at the same venue on February 26.

“We have had our ups and down domestically, but it’s on the day that is important,” Maybury said. “It will give the team a good experience, and they will be able to compete at a different level and really see where they are at.”

Maybury has ruled out taking any players attending college on the trip.

“One of the things that I am very serious about is that we are not going to disrupt anybody’s education over football,” he said.

“We are not going to ask someone to come from school and join the team.

“If school is out, then by all means, but if it [school] is in we want guys to focus on their education because there is life after football, which is very important.”

North Village were the last Bermudian club to appear in the championship in 2012.

Fourteen clubs from eight-member associations entered the competition which will open with a preliminary round consisting of two four-team groups and two three-team groups.

The four group winners will advance to the final round, which will be contested at a location yet to be determined from April 29 to May 1.

The two finalists and third-place winner will earn berths to the 2016/17 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League.

Central FC won last year’s championships beating fellow Trinidadian side DirecTV W Connection 2-1 in the final.