And though there is still a good chance they will not be able to make the trip, if they do it could be as early as next week.

The club clinched automatic promotion to the Second Division with a 0-0 draw away to Bury on Thursday night, a result that means that Walsall's season is finished with no need to be involved in the playoffs for the final promotion spot.

Jon Beard, who has been in constant touch with Walsall general manager Paul Taylor, said last night the availability of affordable air space was still the key factor. Walsall are having their travel agents working on airline bookings and are anxious to make a decision on the tour in the next two or three days.

If it does not go ahead the club will look to Spain or Portugal instead.

"Their travel agents don't seem confident about getting air space,'' said Beard last night. "If not they will go to Spain or Portugal.'' Beard said he had been in contact with a local hotel about accomodating the team but that the hotel was also waiting anxiously on a confirmation as the demand for room is increasing.

The new dates the club was looking at is May 13-18, while the BFA is likely to want to have them play two matches so to have a better chance of covering their expenses.

Beard says he will be working over the weekend to try to put the tour together, though he admits it looks doubtful at this stage.

The presence of Kyle Lightbourne in the Walsall team would be the key attraction if the tour goes ahead. Lightbourne led the team's scoring with 27 goals in his first full season for the club.

"They were the best footballing side, without a doubt, in that division,'' said former Bermuda lawyer Mark Georgevic who has been trying to help arrange the tour to Bermuda. He thinks the tour has a better chance of being set up now that Walsall will not have to play in the promotion playoffs.

"One of the problems we had with the tour was the lack of definitive dates,'' said Georgevic yesterday from the English Midlands where he now resides.

Not since Clyde Best was at West Ham in the early 1970s has an English touring team contained a Bermudian. It was a very popular tour and Georgevic is confident the Walsall tour, with Lightbourne a part of the team, would also be very popular for the local football community.

"Kyle's been a revelation this season, he's worked very, very hard at his game,'' said Georgevic who watched the Bermudian score a tremendous winning goal in last weekend's 2-1 win over Scunthorpe, his 27th of the season.

"I've been trying to arrange this tour for some time,'' said Georgevic. "I thought it would be wonderful for Bermuda to have Kyle play for his English side, which is a very, very good side with six internationals.'' Georgevic feels Lightbourne's partnership up front with player-coach Kevin Wilson has been one of the reasons for the club's -- and Lightbourne's -- success this season.

"I think Kyle put a lot of his 27 goals down to the teaching that Kevin Wilson has given,'' said Georgevic. "If Walsall had lost last night it would have taken all Chris Nicholl's powers of motivation to get them right for the playoffs.

"The playoffs are a lottery, the team that finishes highest in the playoff position is unlikely to get through.'' Now Lightbourne can look forward to a season in the Second Division, the same division where another Bermudian, Shawn Goater, plays with Rotherham United.

"There is no doubt that Kyle will continue to score goals next season,'' said Georgevic. "His touch and awareness have improved immeasurably since he started playing alongside Kevin Wilson.

"I'm sure that Kyle has never played alongside a player of such experience as Kevin Wilson. I'm hoping the tour of Bermuda can be arranged, you'd be very, very pleased at Kyle's development.''