Division champions Devonshire Colts and FA Cup champions Boulevard meet tomorrow night in the annual Charity Cup.

In a preceding fixture, which is technically the real season-opener, Rude Girls will meet Wolves in a women's game at BAA Field at 6 p.m. Never before has the season started in the first week of September -- a switch the Bermuda Football Association are convinced will have long-term advantages for teams and spectators.

Troy Harvey, a member of the BFA's competition and leagues committee, said yesterday that there were signs that bringing forward the start of the season would prove popular.

"Firstly, it avoids the terrible backlog of matches that occurs in January, February and March. We have learned it becomes very congested at the time when games have to be made up because of rain and other hang-ups. "Additionally, the players will now not be forced to play so many back-to-back matches. They will be in the position where they can have several days of rest instead of playing so many times within a short span, and this is a change which will also assist the coaching staff as well.'' The BFA took similar initiatives to implement this early start last year, but the clubs were against it because of a short notice. Although last season's Charity Cup got underway two weeks earlier -- during the middle of September -- the clubs agreed then to an even earlier start this season.

Another unique change sees the game being played on a Sunday for the first time, a move the BFA, hoping for a bumper crowd, made because of the Monday Labour Day holiday.

The clash between Boulevard and Colts will see the former sporting a improved line-up through the addition of players such as former player-coach Andrew Bascome, Otis Minors, Gregg Foggo and Richard Todd, all from St. David's.

Colts, one of the league's younger teams a year ago, were less busy and in comparison haven't made as many changes. Derek Wright and young Tito Smith are new players who could break into the line-up.

Neither team suffered any major losses through transfers, but it remains to be seen whether the absence of David Furbert -- said to be the chief motivator behind Colts' success last season -- will have. A surprise move saw him leave to coach Second Division Hamilton Parish.

The bulk of the proceeds from the matches will this year be presented to the St. John's Ambulance and Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Bermuda.