THOSE within the hierarchy of Bermuda Football Association, particularly president Larry Mussenden, often like to talk of the ?football family?, presumably an all-encompassing term which refers to everybody ? players, fans, officials, coaches ? who have an interest in the game.

It isn?t, however, always a happy family.

There are, for instance, quite a few who have expressed their concern this week following comments made by Mussenden on those who were involved in the disgraceful scenes at Wellington Oval earlier this year which forced abandonment of the Friendship Trophy final.

A free-for-all graphically illustrated by photos published the following day in , one of which we re-ran earlier this week, showed youths on the pitch brandishing knives, planks of wood and other assorted weapons ? in short, a melee which did little for the game?s reputation.

As would be expected, some of those identified were taken to court where at least two were cleared of all charges, reportedly because of ?lack of evidence?.

We now discover that one of those involved ? a member of the football family ? is playing for Paget. He turned out in last Sunday?s 2-1 FA Cup victory over Wolves.

With the matter in the hands of the courts, the BFA declined to take any disciplinary action against those involved.

And Mussenden defended that stance, noting that it was only right his association defer to a higher authority. If the accused were cleared in court, there was, he explained, no reason for the BFA to take the matter any further.

?We have to respect the fact that the courts of Bermuda represent a higher judicial authority than any BFA committee,? said the football chief.

Not everybody, however, would agree with that explanation. They might point out that criminal activity and that which could be seen as ?bringing the game into disrepute? ? a common charge levelled at players these days ? are two separate issues. And as such they should be dealt with independently, much like criminal and civil cases which come before the courts.

In a year in which we have seen two prominent players ? Cougars strikers Heys Wolfe and Raymond Beach ? slapped with lengthy bans for verbally abusing the national coach, and national team striker Stephen Astwood suspended for five matches for an on-field skirmish as well as his comments at a disciplinary hearing, it would seem incongruous that armed youths who invade the pitch, terrorise the crowd and force abandonment of a cup final can escape any kind of punishment from the governing body.

If their action, whether criminal or not, doesn?t constitute bringing the game into disrepute, then exactly what does? Surely the photographic evidence alone is sufficient to warrant some kind of disciplinary hearing for those identified.

To allow the culprits to escape Scot-free does little to reassure the rest of the football family that justice is being served. Players suspended for offences of a far less serious nature will, quite rightly, feel hard done by.

ON a brighter note, Kyle Lightbourne gets his first taste of international football next week since being appointed national team coach.

And there?s no reason to suspect he?ll be anything but successful when his side travel down to St. Vincent and the Grenadines where they?ll take on the hosts, US Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands in the opening round of the Caribbean Digicel Cup.

On paper Lightbourne would appear to have been given a relatively gentle baptism against sides considered inferior to El Salvador to whom Bermuda narrowly lost in their last international fixture.

Shaun Goater, returning from injury, Damon Ming and John Barry Nusum can all add to Lightbourne?s own professional experience, and with domestic players such as Khano Smith and Ralph Bean in impressive form of late, the squad should travel with an air of confidence.

St. Vincent, narrowly beaten by Trinidad on Wednesday night in a World Cup qualifier ? they took the lead only to concede two goals in the final 10 minutes ? will be the toughest nut to crack.

But with Goater and Nusum up front for Bermuda, you can bet the home team?s defence will have their hands full.

A victory for Bermuda in that opening match on Wednesday would be a wonderful way for Lightbourne to kick off his coaching career. We wish him well.