dormant for more than three years with confirmation yesterday that the Island had been reinstated as an active member of the Shell/Umbro Cup.

Readmittance to the top Caribbean competition will see Bermuda returning for the first time since their inaugural appearance five years ago; and it will also mean the senior squad returning to international soccer for the first time since World Cup qualifying in 1992.

The news means that Bermuda Football Association will have to move swiftly to organise a squad and secure a national coach in time to properly prepare a team for the qualifying competition which takes place in February.

Bermuda have been grouped in the Shell/Umbro Cup with Cayman Islands, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. The group winners will have to play two more rounds before the final tournament which will be played in St. Kitts/Nevis in June.

BFA president Neville Tyrrell and General Secretary David Sabir recently returned with the news from the Caribbean Football Association's meeting of presidents in Trinidad and Tobago and were last night delighted about the turn of events.

"We are very happy about being invited to the competition again. Our inclusion proves that our counterparts in the Caribbean have restored faith and confidence in Bermuda's administration and soccer in general,'' said Sabir.

Bermuda's two-man contingent reportedly took the opportunity to inform the meeting of ongoing soccer activities and various BFA accomplishments since the widely publicised leadership battle early in the year.

Sabir said the response was encouraging from the majority of the 25 countries present.

Bermuda made their inaugural appearance in the competition as associate members five years ago when former BFA president Donald Dane initiated the move.

Sabir had talks about reinstating Bermuda during a CFU Congress meeting in Trinidad and Tobago in May, but the talks were temporarily suspended because the CFU wanted to give the BFA time to sort out their leadership problems at a time when executives were demanding that president Richard Thompson step down.

Soccer action tonight is at Devonshire Rec. where Boulevard take on Devonshire Cougars in a First Divison clash at 9.00 p.m. In the opener at 7.00 Robin Hood meet Rude Girls in a women's league match.