Devonshire Recreation Club are not objecting to Kwame Steede’s transfer to First Division side Wolves, but rather the manner in which a signature was obtained for the transfer release form.

A club official, asking not to be named, said Steede never went to club officials himself to get the form signed to begin the transfer release.

“It was the way he obtained the release and we appealed on that basis,” said the official.

“Somebody came for the signature for their own personal use and Mr Steede used it for his use. He didn’t come to the secretary or the club himself to get the release.”

Steede, last season’s player-coach, helped guide the club to survival in the Premier Division after a slow start. He has been a long-serving member of the club, formerly a captain, and was part of the team that won the Triple Crown in 2012-13.

“He can leave, we’re not fighting that, but he never came before the executives and got his release,” said the source. Not the president, secretary or vice-president. He didn’t do it the right way and we’re expecting more from a player who has been with us the last 15 or 20 years. We’re waiting for the BFA [Bermuda Football Association] to have a meeting on this.”

Steede stepped down from his post as player-coach about three weeks ago, with Omar Butterfield, a past player and assistant coach to Steede last season, appointed soon after as his replacement.

“He sent a message to us saying he would not be player-coach this year, but the transfer part shocked everybody,” said the official. “Yes, he will be a big miss to the football programme, but we do wish him well if he decides to leave our club. It has to be done the right way.”

Cougars, who qualified for the Dudley Eve Trophy after finishing sixth, will play their first game of the season in that competition next month against North Village. The club lost eight players during the first release period, May 1 to July 15.

“We’re up to the challenge, we have a lot of youth coming through our programme,” said the official. “The thing is to be steadfast, survive and build with our youth.”

The new season starts in little more than three weeks’ time, when Dandy Town and Robin Hood will play each other in the Charity Cup at Bernard Park.

Dandy Town are aiming for a third straight win in the season-opening fixture, which will be played on September 3, after 3-0 and 4-0 wins over Somerset Trojans in 2015 and 2014. The league champions will head group A in the Dudley Eve tournament which begins two days later with a double-header at Goose Gosling Field.

Also in group A are PHC, the defending champions, and Boulevard, who had a top six finish in their first season back in the top flight last season.

Robin Hood, North Village and Devonshire Cougars will play in group B.

North Village will face Cougars in the 3pm game on Labour Day at Goose Gosling Field, while PHC will play Boulevard at 5pm. The next two rounds of matches will take place on Saturday, September 10 and Sunday, September 18.

League matches will start on the weekend of September 23 to 25.