It was on, then off, then on again - and finally off again yesterday, writes Gayle Alleyne.

The saga over Devonshire Recreation Club's proposed appeal to the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) council abruptly resurfaced on Wednesday before disappearing just as quickly yesterday.

However, Devonshire Rec. and the Bermuda Football Association (BFA) will meet today to try and resolve their differences and put the three-week-old issue to final rest.

Last night, Devonshire Rec's secretary Ellsworth Christopher revealed that he as well as the club's acting president Janell West and another official will represent Devonshire Rec. at the meeting.

"The club and the BFA are going to have a head-to-head talk tomorrow (today) and I'm sure that whatever differences we may have should be resolved rather than it going to that tedious process. We should be able to come to some agreement," he said.

This development follows his announcement on Wednesday that the club had changed its mind and decided to appeal its football team's - Devonshire Cougars - expulsion from the FA Cup for fielding an ineligible player before the ADR after all.

Christopher had indicated this same intention after the BFA's initial ruling against his club but, after the BFA's Appeals Committee upheld the expulsion, he said last Friday that going to the ADR would not achieve anything.

On Wednesday, Christopher said the club was angered that the BFA had sent the ruling on the matter to all football clubs when it was an issue between the association and Devonshire Rec alone. On that basis, the club had reconsidered and filed a petition with the ADR which operates under the Ministry of Sports.

ADR Chairman Judy Simmons confirmed that the council's secretary, Helena Rawlins, received notification of an appeal from Devonshire Rec on Wednesday. That petition, added Simmons, was withdrawn yesterday - first verbally and then in writing.

Asked if she thought this back-and-forth situation was making a mockery of the ADR, Simmons replied: "No, I think it's good that this occurred. It shows that the two parties want to resolve the differences between them. It's good.

"We are there as a last resort but, if they can solve it between themselves, it's much better."

Christopher stressed it was "never my intention to demean any governing body, in particular football. So I am glad that we're having an audience and can express our concerns".

BFA President Larry Mussenden declined comment on the matter, noting that "the family of football - as all families do - sits down and discusses things and work out problems within the family".

However, he promised to comment "sometime soon".