When Devonshire Cougars take to the National Sports Centre for Sunday?s FA Cup Final against Dandy Town, nobody sitting in the grandstand will be more proud then Wayne Butterfield.

The former Centaurs United, North Village Red Devils and Somerset Trojans? ?keeper will savour the distinction of having sons Omar and Joshua Butterfield suit up for a Cougars side seeking to finally put an end to the club?s FA Cup jinx.

In two previous trips to the final, Cougars have come out on the losing end following losses to Trojans in 1978-79 and Vasco da Gama in 1994-95.

Joshua, 19, plays in defence while Omar, 23, is more versatile playing in either midfield or defence.

?Who would have ever thought I?d be sticking up for Devonshire Cougars. . . you couldn?t tell me years ago that I would be sticking up for Cougars,? said proud father Wayne, who won three league crowns, a Martonmere Cup and Friendship Trophy championship at Silvercity from 1979-80 to 1983-84 ?When I was coming up playing for Centuars, Cougars were the arch- enemy. But I will be routing for them on Sunday.

?I am very proud of both of them.

?They don?t like to hold on to the ball too much. They prefer to control and pass and I think because of that they are very effective players. They don?t beat somebody and then turn around and beat them again.?

The proud father recalled his son?s introduction to the game.

?Both of them began playing football when they were very young for Devonshire Colts,? he said. ?Omar took to football like a duck to water but we had to put Joshua on the field and tell him to run. . . he wasn?t too interested. I go to see their matches as much as I can, mostly at Devonshire Recreation Club.?

The senior Butterfield began his journey in local football at now defunct Centaurs United in the former Bermuda Football Association Second Division before enjoying a brief stint at Village and elevating his status as a top ?keeper in his own right at Trojans.

At 19, Cedarbridge Academy student Joshua is about to debut in his first major domestic cup final.

?I just feel privileged to be on this team (Cougars),? he said, taking things all in stride.

?As one of the youngest players on the team in my first year is a privilege and I am just looking forward to playing.?

Joshua, who hopes to obtain a sports scholarship and attain professional status in the future, has been putting in extra work this week in a bid to keep his wits about him. And so far, it appears to be working.

?I am not nervous because I have been preparing myself for Sunday and really working hard,? he said.

?I love football. At first I only used to watch my father (Wayne) and my brother (Omar) play. But now I really enjoy the sport and I want to stick to it. And I love playing at Cougars.?

For Omar, Sunday will be his second appearance in the FA Cup Final having been there before with Devonshire Colts in the 1990?s as a 16-year-old.

?To me it?s just another game. . . we just have to take it as it comes,? he said. ?We have worked hard to get there (the final) and so we intend to go out there and enjoy ourselves.

?The league is over now. . . so this game will decide who is the better team on the Island between the top two.?