THE Commercial League Cup has yet another new winner engraved on it this season as Dandy Town Roots denied local rivals Key West Rangers a second successive win.Gone are the days when Robin Hood used to pick up the title every year as Roots are the fourth different winner in the last four years.

But then Roots players are no stranger to picking up silverware with the nucleus of the side hailing from the 1980’s Dandy Town side dubbed as ‘The Youth Explosion’.

Roots clinched the title by beating Robin Hood 3-1 after Key West stumbled in the final run-in.

Captain Lloyd Christopher said it was a feeling of relief after his own side had lost their way after leading in the second half of the season— only to lose to Lobster Pot.

“We felt we had lost it then. Key West went ahead by four points and we felt it was out of our hands. We were frustrated, we felt we had let the league slide.”

Roots faltered in the run-in with a point against North Village when Rangers also stumbled. But when Key West lost to MR Onions in their final game it handed Roots a golden opportunity clinched in front of a large crowd with the defeat of Robin Hood.

The feeling was extra special given that Roots wrested the title from Rangers who are full of ex-Hornets stars such as Earl Richardson and Ricky Mallory.

And it was a remarkable turn-around for Roots who only clung to their Commercial A status last year when Vasco Mariners turned down the chance to be promoted.

This year it has been a different story as the commitment levels have multiplied. Gone are the days of playing with seven or eight players.

In fact this year egos have been pushed aside with many players content to play out of position for the club cause, including Christopher himself who moved out of his preferred midfield role to play in nets for the second half of the season.

“Last year if that had happened people would have been sulking,” he said.

The side has been boosted by Gershon Gibbons and Lorenzo Simons in midfield while Adam Outerbridge has figured more upfront.

They have joined former national team players Wayne Campbell, 44, striker Darron (Duke) Simons and midfielder Walter Musson. Campbell and Musson have won every domestic cup while Christopher and Simons have missed out only on FA Cup honours. Simons was one of the most prolific goalscorers to have ever trod the Bermuda turf.

Roots are typical of a growing interest of former top flight stars to keep playing despite the advancing years said Christopher.

“I think the Commercial A has become more competitive over the last three or four years. Previously Premier and First Division players when they had finished didn’t necessarily go and play Commercial.”

So the league was more about younger expats said Christopher.

“But now it’s a different attitude with local clubs such as the Dandy Towns and the North Villages, the PHCs. A lot of us who were playing Premier Division back then are now playing Commercial and we are still competitive.”North Village has former national player Damon Wade, PHC has Sheridan (Baldy) Ming while Key West has Karl Roberts and Ricky Mallory who have all played for their country.

It means old club rivalries are kept alive with the same players still facing each other years or even decades after their first encounters.

“We more or less know how each other plays — the only thing different is our fitness levels,” said Christopher who began playing with Dandy Town when he was 14 and captained the side in the early 1990s.

In fact Dandy Town Roots are proud to win the title without having trained all season — unlike many of the other teams where one or two sessions each week are common ahead of match days.

Christopher wants to keep the squad together and win the league in more emphatic fashion next season rather than rely on slips by others.

“The youth explosion continues — we are just not so youthful now,” joked the 42-year-old.

Roots take Commercial Cup