downturn in sales.

Also down over the festive holiday were local soccer crowds, with Bermuda Football Association yesterday reporting that fewer spectators passed through the turnstiles for the Dudley Eve Trophy tournament than during previous years.

Frigid weather on Boxing Day and the threat of rain for the final on New Year's Day were pointed to as possible reasons for the decline, while there also remained the age-old problem of `gate-crashers'.

"The best day of the tournament was New Year's Day, but still the numbers were markedly down compared to previous years,'' said Craig Tyrrell, chairman of the BFA competition's committee.

"Even the Boxing Day numbers were down, which may have been due to the cold weather.

"But one of the major things here is that, although you might go to a game and see thousands of people there watching, a lot of them jump fences, climb walls, find cracks to squeeze through or crawl under, and simply refuse to pay to get in.

"Sometimes I feel we should just not charge at all and see how many come through the gate and how many still jump the fence ... it's crazy.

"I mean, you get people that will come to the gate and complain about the eight dollar admission for any cup game, but have no problem blowing $50 at the bar once they get in ... it's irritating'' Tyrrell pointed to one incident he witnessed where the gates were open for free admission, yet one individual still saw the need to climb a barbed wire fence, have his jacket get snagged and rip on his descent and nearly break a leg in the process.

It was estimated that the Dudley Eve competition drew in the region of 9,000 people combined for the set of five match-days, but as many as a third of those entered `illegally'.

"It's disheartening when you see a guy jump over a wall, go to the bar and come out with eight drinks,'' added Tyrrell. "Why could he not have paid the admission fee.

"Then you have those that wait outside the gate until after half-time for us to leave the gate, so that they can come in free ... and actually get mad and complain if they see us staying there too much past the interval.

"And it's these same people that will cry down the BFA to do this, and do that, but we haven't got the funds because they refuse to pay to get in.

"Many seem to think that myself and the rest of the executive are making money for ourselves out of this, but -- except for the office staff -- we're all volunteers from the president on down, and we do this purely for the love of the game.'' As a means of combatting the `freebie menace' the BFA has long utilised K-9 security, strategically placed around the various facilities, but Tyrrell noted there to be those so bent on gaining access that there have been incidents where individuals have brought pit bulls to fight off the guard dogs.

"It's ridiculous what people will do to avoid paying to go to a football game, yet they'll go to town and ask no questions before laying out a whole heap of money for clothes or whatever.

"It's time for people to wake up. You have to follow the rules, and that means you have to pay.'' Tyrrell hinted at a possible revamp of the tournament with regards to format, as well as improvements in the manner which it is marketed and promoted.

Also being discussed is the idea of a return to the hosting of international teams over the Christmas period, whether it be countries or clubs, something which was common prior to the advent of the Dudley Eve.