season could be the `Golden Goal', used during the recent European Championships in England.

Bermuda Football Association may follow that lead by doing away with the traditional extra-time periods of two 15-minute halves in favour of the `Golden Goal' in some of their cup tournaments.

With the `Golden Goal' the first team that scores during extra-time wins the match.

Elroy Ratteray, chairman of the BFA Leagues and Competitions committee, broke the news to club affiliates at the BFA's recent annual meeting and received a positive response.

The new season kicks off on Saturday, September 14, with the Charity Cup -- a match-up involving FA Cup champions Boulevard and First Division League champions Vasco and there have been rumours that the new rule could be introduced then, although Ratteray said yesterday no decision had been made.

"FIFA have been using it as as test of sorts. Now we are waiting to see just what they intend to do,'' said Ratteray yesterday. "So far nothing definite has been decided by the BFA.'' At the AGM affiliates learned how Ratteray's committee were giving some thought towards moving in that direction.

"We are seriously looking at this. FIFA has been experimenting with the `Golden Goal' rule at some of its competitions and our committee has been considering this as part of its competitions this year, but nothing definite has been determined to date,'' wrote Ratteray in his annual report.

Meanwhile, one thing Ratteray's committee was concerned about going into the 1995-96 season was the behaviour demonstrated at some games by both players and spectators, but the chairman said in his report that there hads been a marked improvement in this area.

"We are pleas ed to report that there have been fewer reports of such incidents during this past season, and we are happy that the committee was able to concentrate on the management of games rather than being forced to deal with unnecessary behaviour incidents,'' he said.

The competitions showing significant improvement in gate receipts were the ones most have always felt were the least important -- the Friendship and Shield competitions.

The net proceeds were $16,509 compared to a mere $2,183 the previous year but Ratteray explained that the reason for the big increase was that the BFA themselves had controlled the finances from the semi-finals and the finals, combined with the fact that there had been an overlap from the previous year.

But otherwise the BFA's share of gate returns was down by a significant margin: the Charity Cup was down to $3,572 compared to $4,747 the previous year; the Martonmere Cup down to $14,865 compared to $18,110; the Dudley Eve dipped to $10,082 against $18,496 and the Challenge Cup slumped to $4,360 against $12,005 the previous year.

"The corresponding decrease in competition revenues is a direct result of adverse weather conditions during most of our cup games which resulted in a lack of spectators attending the games,'' said Ratteray.

The overall picture of the cup competitions saw the BFA's share of receipts for the 1995-96 season decline to $43,222 -- down from the previous season's total of $55,541.

The early kick-off to the season this year will enable the BFA to get many of the Martonmere Cup fixtures out of the way and perhaps avoid the threat of bad weather more likely in November and December.

The Martonmere gets underway on Tuesday, September 17 with a double-header at PHC followed by another double-header at Devonshire Rec. three days later on the Friday night.

Play moves to BAA on Tuesday, September 24 with two more matches while the first semi-final will be at Somerset CC on Saturday, October 19 and the second at Devonshire Rec. on Thursday, October 24.

The Commercial League Cup actually kicks the season off with a slate of day matches on Saturday, September 14.

The plan is to start to the various leagues on Sunday, September 29.

ELROY RATTERAY -- has revealed plans for the `Golden Goal' to be used this season.