After declining offers at St.David?s and Western Stars, Andre (Doc) Manders announced yesterday that he will stand down as coach of First Division PHC at the end of the 2006 cricket season.

And Manders, who captained Somerset in Cup Match for two years, intends to go out with a bang.

The 45-year -old veteran has been a vital cog at PHC over the past four years where he has led the team in the capacity of player/coach to a sole First Division KO Cup title and promotion to the Premier Division in 2002.

PHC have also held the coveted Western Counties Cup twice under Manders? watch.

?This will definitely be my last year playing and coaching at PHC, especially now I?m also coach of the Under 19 national squad,? confirmed Manders, who represented Bermuda at the ICC Trophy in England and Holland in the 1990s.

PHC have managed to keep the nucleus of last year?s squad ? narrowly beaten in the Western Counties final against eventual champions Willow Cuts.

And those having shown an interest in transferring to the club this season include Southampton Rangers? Rohaan Simons and Daniel Caines while veteran slugger Arthur Richards is expected to return to PHC?s middle order after sitting out the previous campaign through work and personal commitments.

Dandy Town ?keeper, Jason Smith, has also contemplated joining the club while the likes of Kyle Lightbourne, Sheridan (Baldy) Ming, Cal Waldron, Kenny Mills, Shoron Hunt and Neil Anglin will again form the backbone of the team.

?Most of our guys have returned and our goal this season is to gain promotion in at least one of the two divisions (limited overs and two-day leagues) and win the Western Counties,? Manders said. ?And I?m optimistic we will have a good season.?

PHC have been drawn in the final round of this summer?s Western Counties Cup competition that will be staged at White Hill Field.

Manders hopes to secure the services of son Taurean, a useful all-rounder, when he returns from studies abroad in early June.

?It all depends on what he wants to do when he returns,? he said.

Taurean Manders has enjoyed football success at North Village this year and also saw action for Lightbourne?s senior national football team last February against New England Revolution.

PHC will play their home matches at White Hill Field.

Team stalwart Neil Anglin will again share the new ball with Hunt or even Kevin Tucker, while former Somerset Cup Match and ICC Trophy veteran Lightbourne ? who can either seam or spin the ball ? will be relied upon either as first or second change.

Much of the team?s batting responsibilities will fall again on the shoulders of another former Somerset Cup Match batsman Ming, along with the likes of Mills, Jeremy Fray, Waldron and Manders.

Manders retired from Cup Match in 2000, four years after being replaced by Dexter Basden as skipper at Somerset.

In 1993 Manders made history when he featured in the same Cup Match classic as brothers Anthony (Somerset) and Arnold (St.George?s). That classic played at Wellington Oval also saw brothers Jeff and Wayne (Spike) Richardson and Dexter and Richard Basden ? all of Somerset ? play together.

Basden?s uncles Rodney and Kevin Fubler also played in the same match.

Before heading West to skipper Somerset in the early 1990s, Manders savoured multiple league and cup success at Stars under skippers Randy Butler and brother Arnold ? present chairman of senior national team selectors.

?This is definitely my last season coaching at PHC and hopefully it will be a memorable one,? said Manders, due to tour Barbados with the Under 19 national squad in July.