Memories of some of the most bizarre and incredible scenes in Bermuda football's history will be evoked when North Village and Southampton Rangers step out in Sunday's Friendship Trophy final.

It was 1978 when the teams last met in a Friendship final with Rams winning the coveted trophy without even scoring a goal following a farcical chain of events that culminated in the majority of the Rangers team storming off the pitch.

The game was still goalless with just two minutes remaining when Village were awarded a controversial penalty after Rangers substitute Wayne Raynor barged into opposing winger Garrett (Punchy) Dill.

As Village decided who would take the crucial spot-kick – their specialist Ralph (Gumbo) Bean had been substituted – Rangers' John Tucker became embroiled in a heated argument with referee Ray O'Leary and was eventually given his marching orders.

Initially the talented midfielder refused to leave the pitch but after a ten minute delay he, and almost the entire Rangers side led by captain Edgar Smith, walked off the National Stadium's pitch in protest against the penalty decision.

Rangers coach, the late Randy Benjamin, had attempted to talk his outraged players into playing out the final stages of the unforgetable encounter but his words fell on deaf ears.

At the time he told The Royal Gazette: "I appealed to them to stay on the field and I asked John (Tucker) to leave. I explained to them that I couldn't see why they would put their future on the line.

"Some decisions go for you and sometimes they go against you, but it's a game of sport and you must accept the decisions of the referee."

Village coach Larry Smith was also saddened by the strange manner in which the match was abandoned.

"I'm disappointed in the way the game ended," he said after the game. "The referee made a decision and no matter how controversial it may have been Southampton should have played on."

Bermuda Football Association (BFA) held an emergency meeting immediately after the unprecedented 'walkout' final and announced Village as the Friendship Trophy winners.

They later slapped Rangers skipper Smith with a hefty five-year-ban which was later reduced.

BFA president Richard Calderon was patrolling the midfield for Village alongside twin brother, Robert, during the '78 Friendship final.

He said yesterday: "Sadly the unfortunate ending became the main talking point and what went missing was how good a match it was.

"We went on to win the Triple Crown but for me there will always be an asterisk attached."

Rangers president Randy Raynor is another who vividly remembers the fiasco final.

"Don't worry, I can assure Village that Rangers will not be walking off this pitch this time around," he said.

Village fan Norris Dowling was among the 'red army' faithful cheering on their team that infamous day, 32 years ago.

". . . if I recall correctly, Village were attacking the southern goal at the stadium with the ball on the right wing, and Rangers defender Wayne Raynor who was hustling back while watching the ball, never noticed Village winger Garrett Dill standing in front of him, and accidentally ran him over in the box," he recalls.

"Referee Ray O'Leary pointed to the spot and was surrounded by angry Rangers players, upset that O'Leary would penalise an 'accident'.

"I believe that goalkeeper Barry DeCouto was one of the few, and may have been the only one, who did not leave the field.

"Of course the penalty was never taken and the game was abandoned."

The late '70s were a golden age for Village with their star-studded line-up including the likes of Wendell (Woolly) Baxter, Ralph (Gumbo) Bean as well as the Calderon twins.

They went on to win their first FA Cup to complete a memorable Triple Crown that season.

The 1978 Friendship Trophy final line-ups

North Village: Paynter, Romaine, Trott, Baxter, Richard Calderon, Randy Bean, Castle, Robert Calderon, P.Dill, Ralph Bean (Melvin Bean), G.Dill

Coach: Larry Smith

Southampton Rangers: DeCouto, Swan (Raynor) Sherlock, Simmons, Robinson, Tucker, Brangman, Smith, Adams, Williams, Edness

Coach: Randy Benjamin

Referee: Ray O'Leary