Armell Thomas, the B&V United coach, has placed high expectations on the Corona League’s newest team.

With a squad boasting several players with Premier Division experience, Thomas boldly predicts that his team will be in the hunt for the title in their debut season.

“As a new team you always want to try and finish in the top four, but I don’t have time for that with the players that we have,” he said.

“We are going right for the No 1 spot and expectations are really huge for me because I do not want to be a part of this if I cannot win the league.”

Much of Thomas’s hopes for league supremacy will rest heavily on the shoulders of experienced players such as Tokia Russell, Reggie Lowe, Anwar and Quincy Hunt, Marcel Dill and Leroy Stevens.

“It’s going to be a nightmare for me to select the team,” Thomas said.

Echoing his coach’s sentiments, Joshua Crockwell, the United captain, added: “We have a good group of guys which far exceeded my expectations and I am really excited and looking forward to the season.

“Right from the get go the coach has instilled in us that we have to be No 1 and nothing less and I am excited to be captain of a team that has such potential.”

While he is adamant that the league newcomers can pose a serious threat to Tuff Dogs’ title, Thomas admits that the task is a daunting one.

“The Corona League is an intense league,” he said.

“People come to play for bragging rights and with the numbers we have the league has to be doing something good.”

Even though they have yet to play a competitive match, United have already made history by becoming the first Corona team to enter Bermuda Football Association’s FA Challenge Cup.

It is a distinction that Joe Pimentel, the United president, takes great pride in.

“I think it’s a privilege and an honour to be the first Corona teams to be participating in the FA Cup, especially as a new team just coming out,” he said.

“The players are looking forward to playing in the FA Cup and hopefully we can spring some upsets.”

Spencer Butterfield, the Butterfield & Vallis vice-president, Chris Miles, the company’s financial controller, and Pimentel were all instrumental in the formation of the new outfit.

“Joe came to us and started speaking with Chris and put together a serious proposal with some numbers behind it and we felt if we could get some staff involved it would be a good fit for us,” Butterfield said.

United were accepted into the league last July after beating a rival bid from Wolves Sports Club for the vacant position that became available after Valley FC folded towards the end of last season.

The Corona League campaign kicks off at Goose Gosling Field on October 3 with the Charity Cup pitting Tuff Dogs, the league champions, against North Village Rams, the Bistro Cup holders.