president for another term by the narrowest possible margin.

The BFA took a large amount of flak over first the Clyde Best affair and then the disappointing World Cup run -- and Tyrrell bore the brunt of it.

Best was told two days before last Christmas his contract as technical director would not be renewed and Best responded by lambasting Tyrrell, describing him as "arrogant'' and "not a football person''.

Tyrrell did not give his side of the story until last week. He claimed Best had "broken gentleman's agreements'' and implied that Best had not done everything expected of a technical director, without being specific about what he had failed to do.

The failure to secure the services of the two England-based pros, Shaun Goater and Kyle Lightbourne, provoked a public outcry and again the BFA were in the firing line, especially as Tyrrell once more refused to comment on the matter until long after Bermuda had been knocked out of the World Cup by Antigua.

Two weeks ago, sources were indicating to The Royal Gazette that Tyrrell's days in the hot seat were numbered, as at least 15 of the 22 affiliates had pledged their support to his rival for the presidency, Mark Trott. After meetings last week, the indications were that Trott was still ahead, but the tide turned between then and last night.

Tyrrell, an executive with Colonial Insurance, first became association president in 1996, when he took over the reins from Richard Thompson.

He was given credit in the early years of his tenure for helping the Island recover from the `Miami Seven' incident and re-establishing the Bermuda national team into first regional competitions and then the World Cup.

Trott's disappointment at missing out on the big job may have been slightly tempered by securing the post of second vice-president at the expense of Elroy Ratteray.

Trott emerged as the figurehead of the movement for change within the BFA at a series of meetings over the last two months.

His experience of the game started as a player with Devonshire Colts before he embarked on a successful coaching career.

He started as an assistant coach at Colts before moving on to Dandy Town, where he won the league, Friendship and Dudley Eve triple in 1993-94 and was named Coach of the Year.

In his international coaching career, the highlight was qualifying for the 1995 Pan-Am Games. In the Games in Argentina, Trott coached the first Bermuda team to play Brazil and a 2-0 defeat was a respectable result.

Second best: Mark Trott failed in his bid to become BFA president but will serve as second vice-president.