most successful coach, John Rebello, is stepping down after seven years in the job.

And there are already indications that the squad will lose a few players next season, with Donovan Livingston confirming, at age 41, that he is finally quitting as a player, something which defender Earl Richardson also hinted at.

And veteran striker Sammy Swan spoke of returning to PHC to help out the relegated Zebras, perhaps in the capacity of coach.

Rebello confirmed his plans to give up the post after leading the team to the triple crown for the first time, the first team since North Village in 1977-78 to win the league, Friendship and FA Cup in the same season. Vasco threw in the Dudley Eve for good measure, making it the most successful season in club history.

The Island's top team paid a visit to the Cabinet office to receive citations from the Premier, Pamela Gordon yesterday and minutes later made a stop at City Hall where a similiar honour was bestowed upon them by Mayor William Frith.

It was the equivalent of the World Series baseball champions getting an invitation to the White House to meet with the US President.

"It's been a struggle for the last seven years trying to gain respect,'' said Rebello, standing quietly in the background while his players grabbed the glory.

"It came to a point where I thought it would be a good time to bow out at the top and leave behind me a challenge for whoever comes in. "Whether people respect you or don't respect you, it's something they can't take from you right now.'' Rebello counts among his achievements the club's first league title two years ago, following FA Cup triumphs in 1994 and 1995 -- all by the age of 30. "I was the youngest coach to win the league and the FA but none of that was taken into consideration,'' said Rebello.

The fact that the team will lose a couple of players is probably inevitable, especially with some nearing retirement age.

"That's going to be the hardest part, keeping the players together,'' Rebello admitted. "But I think the players are happy here, it is definitely a great programme.

"One or two players will leave. The players who weren't able to break into the 11 might look for what they feel are greener pastures.

"Some of the older guys who were looking to bow out will probably use this as that opportunity to say `I've done it all and now I can give something back to my community where I come from.''' Still, Rebello is confident the nucleus of the team will return to try to defend their four titles. They know they will have nine other teams in the First Division gunning for them.

"Whether I'm involved in the coaching or not I will always make sure that the club goes forward and has the right players to compete for every trophy that is out there,'' said Rebello, who admits the club is trying to persuade him to stay on.

"There are a few new players who are eager to come on board and so we'll be as strong as ever. Whatever vacancies we have we'll fill them, but it's going to be a hard job whether it's me or whoever the new coach is.'' After winning four trophies in one season, the ultimate challenge facing the team for the new season would be to make a clean sweep of all six trophies available to them, something which has never been achieved.

"Where do you motivate them to send them to that new level?'' the coach asked. "This is just for the love of the game. It's going to be hard to match it, it took 20 years so that says a lot.

"That's why a lot of credit has to go to teams that repeat (as champions) because every team guns for you. Last season after we had won the league every team played that much harder against us.'' Rebello paid tribute to the vocal Vasco supporters who helped the team rally back to snatch an extra-time winner against Devonshire Colts in Sunday's FA Cup final which completed the treble.

"It it wasn't for them we would have been in trouble, because everybody else who came out was looking for an upset,'' said the coach. "This is the last piece of the triple crown, now I can retire and enjoy it.'' The Charity Cup traditionally features the league champions against the FA Cup champions because Vasco won most of the silverware this season they will play the league runners-up, Dandy Town, in the Charity Cup in September.