DANDY TOWN

Colours: Brown and gold

Home venue: St. John's Field

Coach: Devarr Boyle.

Captain: Lionel Furbert

Last season: Premier Division league championship and FA Cup

Town are coming off perhaps their most successful season ever and have already shown signs they will be in the the hunt for top honours this season.

After a Charity Cup loss to North Village, successive wins in the Martonmere Cup have indicated that the Hornets will again be one of the teams to beat.

Last season the St. John's Road club won the Premier Division for the second time in the past four seasons and followed up with their first FA Cup triumph in 17 years under coach Boyles, deservedly voted last season's Coach of the Year.

Again Town possess a well balanced squad containing explosive strikers Khano and Carlos Smith backed by the resilience of skipper Lionel Furbert, Maurice Lowe, Seyoum Tuzo, Jared Peniston, Randy Swan, FA Cup hero David Lawler and Chris Anderson.

They picked up a few new faces over the off season with Bermuda World Cup midfielder Ottis Steede, former Devonshire Colts striker Lloyd Holder, Somerset Trojan Adam Outerbridge and former St.George's defender Earnest Signor all joining ranks at the Barn.

Hornets lost only one league contest last season en route to the championship and banged in 32 goals while conceding just 12. Veteran striker Carlos Smith, reportedly playing in his last season, was voted Bermuda Football Association's Most Valuable Player for the season.

DEVONSHIRE COUGARS

Colours: Green and gold

Home venue: Devonshire Recreation Club

Coach: Andrew Bascome

Captain: Kwame Steede

Last season: Premier Division, Martonmere Cup and FA Cup runners-up.

The question already being asked is, could this be the year of the Cougars?

In recent seasons the big cats have repeatedly been knocking on the door but have always failed to break through.

But now, under coach Bascome - equipped with over $20,000 worth of new training apparatus and the solid backing of the Devonshire executives - they appear more than capable of negotiating the final hurdle.

Bascome will first have to keep the team motivated while strikers Heys Wolfe and Raymond Beach serve out lengthy suspensions. The pair, who arguably make up the league's most potent attack, have been banned until January 1.

But in their absence so far, Cougars have not missed a beat, advancing to the Martonmere Cup semi-finals for the second year in succession and cracking seven goals in just 180 minutes of football.

The club have had their ranks bolstered by the arrival of former Devonshire Colts poacher Aljame Zuill, who has already found the back of the net twice, while the signings of promising defender Jamel Simmons and striker Nathan Webb could also pay off over the course of the season. Also due to rejoin the team in the next few days are 2000-01 Martonmere Cup hero Mark Smith and midfield schemer Domico Coddington.

Cougars led the league in scoring again last season, hammering home 36 goals and allowing 18 against.

Club stalwart Shawn Smith has decided this will be his last season in top flight football. It now remains to be seen whether his team-mates can give him the perfect send-off.

BOULEVARD

Colours: Red, green and gold

Home venue: BAA Field

Coach: John Rebello

Captain: Melchesidec Gibbons

Last season: Reached semi-final of Friendship Trophy.

Traditionally regarded as a spin-off from Devonshire Cougars and bonded closely together by family ties to their cross-town rivals, Boulevard are also widely considered to be among the top teams to beat this winter.

Although the Blazers have yet to win a major trophy since returning to top flight football at the end of the 2001-02 season under coach Rebello, the club have twice finished among the top three teams in the league and appeared in successive Friendship Trophy semi-finals.

They remained in the hunt for the Premier Division championship late down the stretch but failed to make significant inroads following a late string of draws.

However, with the arrival of former Bermuda skipper Meshach Wade, lively striker Marvin Belboda and promising forward Dennis Russell, this could prove to be Boulevard's year.

Veteran Dwight (Payback) Warren has rejoined his old club and his wealth of experience could prove invaluable over the duration of the season.

With wiry captain Gibbons leading the way, Boulevard scored a total of 20 league goals in the last campaign while conceding 13.

SOUTHAMPTON RANGERS

Colours: Blue and white

Home venue: Southampton Oval

Coach: Derek Scott

Captain: Shawn Smith

Last season: Friendship Trophy semi-finalists; fourth in the Premier Division

If there is one thing in Rangers' favour, it has to be the club's abundance of youth.

However, youth alone won't cut it as Rangers recently discovered in their opening Martonmere Cup clash against Cougars when they were comprehensively beaten 3-0.

Following an impressive return to the top flight at the start of last season, Rangers suffered a crippling exodus over the summer months, leaving new coach Scott with limited resources.

Gone are forwards Rohann Simons, Kwame Tucker, Ottis Steede and the inspirational Meshach Wade.

Still, it might be unwise for teams to take Rangers for granted as they are known for their ability to rise to the challenge on any given day and spring a surprise or two on unsuspecting rivals.

Scott will pin his hopes upon reliable poacher Janeiro Tucker and veterans Dwayne (Streaker) Adams, skipper Neville Grant, Donnie Charles, Omari Hart, crafty yet temperamental midfielder Travis Wilkinson and club stalwart Pernell Brangman.

Rangers netted 29 league goals last season but struggled to keep their opponents at bay even with top ‘keeper Adams between the posts and allowed 21 against.

NORTH VILLAGE

Colours: Red and white

Home venue: Bernard Park

Coach: Kentoine Jennings

Captain: Ralph Bean Jr.

Last season: Charity Cup, Martonmere Cup and Friendship Trophy champions.

Although by their own high standards, the 2003-04 season proved to be bitterly disappointing, winning three cup titles allowed Village to maintain their status as one of the league's top dogs.

After losing the services of Dwight Warren and promising Under-20 national team ‘keeper Daniel Johnson, the Reds recently clinched a third successive Charity Cup.

However, early season injuries to inspirational player/coach Kentoine Jennings and his brother Keith and the unavailability of burly sweeper Michael Hansey proved the Reds' undoing in last week's Martonmere Cup loss to Dandy Town.

Still, Village have an impressive crop of up and coming talent at their disposal along with the experience of Jennings, though many predict the club's dominance in local football is nearing an end.

Jennings replaced Scott Morton as head coach after the latter resigned at the end of last season.

Village failed miserably in their bid to three-peat as league champions, placing a disappointing fifth in the Premier Division. They bagged 23 league goals and conceded 17.

SOMERSET EAGLES

Colours: Blue and gold

Home venue: White Hill Field

Coach: Danvers Seymour

Captain: Rodre (Piper) Wilson

Last season: Friendship Trophy finalists; sixth in Premier Division

If there are two things Eagles have mastered, it's finding a path into the Friendship Trophy final and avoiding relegation at the death.

For the past two seasons Eagles have avoided the drop in the dying stages while finding the Friendship Trophy competition much to their liking.

Capable of beating any team on their day, Eagles have lacked consistency and a commitment to training. But the arrival of no-nonsense coach Danny Seymour could break a few of their bad habits. However, the coach will have to work without key players Stevie Burrows, Keion Simmons, Nakia Smith and Adrian Burrows. The former two, now with Trojans, will immediately come up against their former team-mates in this Sunday's West End derby while ‘keeper Burrows and Smith have reportedly joined Village.

Eagles netted only 15 league goals last season and conceded 28.

PHC ZEBRAS

Colours: Black and white

Home venue: Southampton Oval

Coach: Mark Wade

Captain: Blenn Bean

Last season: First Division champions; Shield semi-finalists

PHC are back in the top flight - only this time without the valuable services of key players Dennis Russell and Stephen Astwood.

Astwood, who underwent football trials in the UK during the summer, has joined Somerset Trojans while Russell appears to have settled in nicely at new club Boulevard.

The last time Zebras returned to the top flight they turned local football on its head by winning the Premier Division at the first attempt.

However, they had an entirely different team back then. And way before Wade's current crop of players can even begin thinking about winning the championship, they must first re-adapt to life in the top flight where many predict Zebras will struggle.

However, news of former crafty forward Kenny Mills contemplating a return after sitting out the last campaign could prove to be a godsend as Zebras set out to prove they belong in the big league.

PHC, who had diminutive defender Enwar Hunt and cousin Quincy Hunt return during the off-season, romped to the First Division championship undefeated, scoring a staggering 52 goals while conceding 13.

SOMERSET TROJANS

Colours: Red and black

Home venue: Somerset Cricket Club

Coach: Dennis Brown

Captain: Karl Roberts

Last season: First Division runners-up; Shield champions

Since his return to Cricket Lane, Brown has quickly transformed Somerset Trojans into a group of self-believers.

Although long gone are the glory days when Trojans drove fear into the hearts of opponents, Brown hopes to restore some pride in the West End through a combination of discipline, commitment and good old fashioned hard work.

In addition to having new floodlights installed at their ground, Trojans picked up two key players in Bermuda World Cup players Clevon Hill and Stephen Astwood while the arrival of Keion Simmons and Steven Burrows from neighbouring Somerset Eagles might also come in handy during the upcoming season.

Veterans Richard Scott and Karl Roberts along with Bermuda Under-20 national team striker Damon Swan are expected to play leading roles along with the club's impressive cast of up and coming players.

Trojans surprisingly suffered three losses en route to returning to top flight football last season, scoring 34 goals and allowing ten against.

The West Enders could be without the services of gifted forward Damon Ming this season as he appears to be on the verge of beginning a semi-pro career in the UK.

In the First Division, St.George's, Ireland Rangers, Devonshire Colts and Hamilton Parish are considered the favourites for promotion, though the likes of Wolves, Prospect and even St.David's might beg to differ.