Looking Back: Football’s 2018 Year In Review
[Written by Patrick Bean]
January
Smith leaves club over claims of racism
Jonté Smith revealed to English newspaper The Guardian how he quit a Vietnamese club because of racial discrimination just four days after being offered a lucrative contract.
Mêlée match to be abandoned
A full scale melee between players from Devonshire Colts and Wolves forced the abandonment of the First Division match.
West dominates soccer All-Star tournament
The West won four of the six matches in the Bermuda School Sports Federation All-Star Football matches at the National Stadium on Saturday.
Leverock transfers to Estonia
Dante Leverock signed for Narva Transof the Estonian league
Somerset take Festive title
Jaz and Jadan Ratteray-Smith each scored for Somerset Trojans to win 2-1 the Expansion League Festive Tournament title..
February
Freddy Hall quits Limerick
Bermudian goalkeeper Freddy Hall quits Irish club Limerick FC
Parfitt-Williams joins Slovenian side
Djair Parfitt-Williams signed with Slovenian top-flight side NK Rudar Velenje, after having looked for a new club to take him since the previous summer.
Thompson and Bascome initiate youth league
Kenny Thompson and Andrew Bascome teamed up to form the Youth Football Super League Bermuda for the purpose of accelerating player development on the island.
March
Lewis moves to Iceland
Zeiko Lewis signed with Icelandic Select Division side FH after being released by New York Red Bulls.
Bermuda beaten by Antigua
Bermuda suffered a 3-2 defeat to Antigua and Barbuda in the opening match of their two-match trip to the Caribbean.
Nusum ends PHC hopes of trophy clean sweep
John Barry Nusum’s scored the match-winning penalty for Robin Hood to beat PHC in the FA Cup semi-final.
Nations League becomes reality
Bermuda were drawn to face Sint Maarten, El Salvador at home and Aruba and Dominican Republic away to determine the groups for the inaugural Concacaf Nations League.
Leverock scores on debut
Danté Leverock made a flying start to his career with Estonian team Narva Trans, scoring in the team’s 5-0 victory away to Kuressaare.
Soccer festival goes global
The Bermuda International Football Festival, headed up by chairman Rick Richardson delivered on its promise to add an international flavour to the festival with under-19 players from the West Ham United prticipating in event.
Clemons signs for Swedish side
Willie Clemons signed his first professional contract with Swedish side Bodens.Clemons.
April
Liverpool’s Salah named Player of the Year
Mohamed Salah was deservedly named the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year at a lavish ceremony in London.
Hill agrees to join Blue Devils
Bermudian goalkeeper Jahquil Hill accepted an offer to play for semi-professional side Oakville Blue Devils in Canada.
Bermuda footballers flee Nicaragua riots
The Bermuda Under-17 women’s fled Nicaragua after riots broke out in the streets of the capital Managua while the team was involved in the Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championships being hosted in the Central American nation.
PHC take top awards
PHC Zebras dominated at the Bermuda Football Association awards, including having midfielder Marco Warren voted the Premier Division’s Most Valuable Player, Scott Morton the Coach of the Year, Daren Usher the Young Player of the Year and Quinaceo Hunt the Goalkeeper of the Year.
Ellsworth Christopher dies
Former Devonshire Recreation Club president Ellsworth Christopher died.
Cup Final abandoned after thunderstorm
A late afternoon thunderstorm forced the abandonment of the FA Cup Final between Robin Hood and Southampton Rangers at National Stadium.
Brawl outside PHC club after season of winning
A fight broke out outside Pembroke Hamilton Club hours after PHC clinched their 10th Premier Division title.
May
Bermuda women win overseas title
The Bermuda women’s football team captured the final of the Concacaf Women’s Championship qualifiers
Smith signs new deal at Lewes
Jonté Smith signed a new contract with non-League side Lewes.
Lambe let go by Carlisle
Reggie Lambe left Sky Bet League Two side Carlisle United after not being offered a new contract.
June
Lambe signs with Cambridge
Then Bermuda captain Reggie Lambe inked deal with Sky Bet League Two side Cambridge United.
Wells linked with move to West Brom
Nahki Wells was talked about regarding the potential of a move to West Bromwich Albion.
July
Lightbourne named as Bermuda coach
Kyle Lightbourne named the Bermuda national coach after performing the role on an interim basis for almost a year, replacing Andrew Bascome.
Coke back at Boulevard
Top striker Ian Coke rejoined Boulevard from Dandy Town.
Cougars’ Salaam dies
Wali Salaam, a stalwart of Devonshire Cougars teams in the 1990s and 2000s, died from cancer at the ge of 46
Hood make key signings
Robin Hood bolstered their squad by signing Tomiko Goater and Dominique Williams from Dandy Town.
X-Roads sign hitman Thompson
X Roads signed prolific striker and goal-scorer Donovan Thompson from St George’s Colts.
France win World Cup
France defeated Croatia 4-2 to seize the 2018 World Cup hosted by Russia.
Marshall sets up $1 million football fund
A $1 million fund was been established by former top referee Charlie Marshall to help the growth of Bermudian football.
Robin Hood capture Castle and Parsons
Robin Hood bolstered their squad withth signing of Casey Castle and Phil Parsons from PHC Zebras and X-Roads.
August
Bermuda women defeated
Jamaica beat Bermuda 4-0 at Concacaf Women’s Championship Qualifier.
Wells makes himself available for Nations League charge
Nahki Wells made himself available for parts of Bermuda’s Concacaf Nations League qualifying campaign.
Spence takes reins at Village
Randy Spence was appointed as North Village coach, replacing Devarr Boyles, who returned to Dandy Town after two seasons at Bernard Park.
Blankendal creates company to help players
Cal Blankendal instituted as resource to aid the development of the Bermuda’s student-athletes.
Bermuda Under-14 hammer Virgin Islands
Bermuda Under-14 battered US Virgin Islands 11-0 to finish top of their group at the Caribbean Football Union Challenge Series.
Wells in talks with Derby
Nahki Wells held discussions with Sky Bet Championship side Derby County over a potential loan from Burnley.
Wells moves to QPR
Nahki Wells took up residence with QPR on loan from Burnley.
Bermuda women earn championship
The Bermuda’s under-15 girls team won the Division Two title in the Concacaf Under-15 Girls’ Championship, beating Grenada 2-1 in the final at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
September
PHC sinks Hood
PHC Zebras claimed a second successive Charity Cup with a 2-1 win over Robin Hood on two goals from Cecoy Robinson.
Footballer dies in road tragedy
Robi Hood and Bermuda player Mazhye Burchall dies after a bike accident in the early morning hours in Paget.
BFA gets tough with unlicensed coaches
The Bermuda Football Association’s decided to decision to sanction clubs who do not have qualified coaches at the senior level.
Somerset player arrested after match
Somerset Trojan’s goal-keeper was restrained and taken away handcuffed by police after a violent outburst at the end of the Dudley Eve Trophy with Devonshire Cougars at PHC Field.
Wells scores to end goal drought
Nahki Wells got off the mark for Queens Park Rangers during a 3-0 win over Sheffield.
BFA retreats over coaching punishment
BFA relented their stance to penalise clubs for failing to have coaches with the necessary coaching qualifications, extending the deadline for compliance.
Bermuda put a dozen past Sint Maartin
Bermuda romped to their second biggest victory in an international after thrashing a youthful Sint Maarten 12-0 at the National Stadium when Nahki Wells’s pivotal header clinched a famous victory over El Salvador.
Trott called up for England
Bermudian goalkeeper Nathan Trott was named in the England Under-20 squad for a friendly match against Germany.
Digicel and BFA institute youth fund
The Bermuda Football Association and Digicel joined together to create a football fund tp provide financial support to local youth teams.
Saltus seize girls’ title
Saltus Grammar won the BFA six and seven-a-side girls’ tournament.
Under-20s fail to qualify
Bermuda crashed to a 1-0 defeat to Costa Rico during the Concacaf Under-20 Championship in Bradenton, Florida.
December
Smith linked with move to Swindon
Jonté Smith was linked to a return to the Football League in the form of Swindon Town.
Roger Lee agrees to overseas deal
27-year-old defender Roger Lee Jr signed with Estonian top-flight club JK Tallinna Kalev
Brown nominated for Coach of the Year
Women’s national academy coach Vance Brown was nominated for the Concacaf Women’s Football Coach of the Year Award.
Leverock to Sligo Rovers
Bermuda defender and captain Danté Leverock signed with Sligo Rovers of the Irish top-fligh.
Smith grabs professional coaching role
Former playing professional Khano Smith signed on to be the assistant coach at Birmingham Legion FC of the United Soccer League.
