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A boy poses on collapsed electricity infrastructure 10 years on from the July 1995 eruption
Montserrat's capital Plymouth is a ghost town - it was abandoned after the eruptions

The Soufriere Hills volcano erupted on a large scale in 1995. It was devastating.

There were huge swathes of the island covered in ash. The air smelled of sulfur dioxide. The capital had to be left behind.

Two-thirds of the island was left uninhabitable by large eruptions over the next five years. More than half of the population left.

A place that used to be calm and peaceful would never be the same again due toexclusion zones and volcanic activity.

The British Overseas Territories are self-governing but ultimately under the control of the UK.

Thousands of Montserratians were forced to leave their homes and settled in England.

The national consciousness of Montserrat was damaged by a disaster. Through trauma and struggle, there is a spirit of togetherness. It can be seen in the national football team and the UK players giving back to their homeland.

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The first match that Montserrat played was in 1991 They were considered to be the worst national sides in the world.

Only San Marino are below them in the world rankings, and they have won two matches out of 27 played.

In the first round of regional qualification for the 2006 World Cup, Montserrat hosted home matches for the first time in over a year. They were defeated by a score of 0-7 byBermuda.

The international game has been dominated by them for a long time.

The appearance holder with 21 caps says that it used to be shambolic.

Everyone did the best they could. We didn't have the funds or the facilities.

He has played in Sweden, Norway and Kuwait and is a member of the Wealdstone team. The grandparents were on his side. He made his first appearance.

The team was ranked in the bottom half of the world. They are now up to 178th after 10 years.

We didn't have matching tracksuits. It was just a small nation at the beginning of their journey.

In the last few years it has exploded, as we've gone on it has gotten gradually better. We're not just a team that wants to play football, we're also a team that wants to win games. The journey leads to the island.

  • From 2015: Montserrat: Living with a volcano

A lack of regular matches was one of the reasons for the problem.

The launch of the Concacaf Nations League changed things for the better.

Scottish manager Willie Donachie stepped down after overseeing eight victories.

More people are interested in getting involved with the team. It was not always easy to find a job.

Bradley Woods-Garness, who since making his debut in 2012 has helped with the hunt for new players, says it has been a long process.

I would sometimes look for traditional Caribbean names from the island. Football Manager was something I would look at sometimes. If I found a player, I would let him know.

A few people thought it was a joke when someone asked them if they would like to play for their country.

Once I have phone conversations with people and give them an explanation of where we're at, it's worked out well.

One of the newer arrivals is Lyle Taylor, who played for Montserrat when he was a player. He is their all time leading scorer with 10 goals.

Willock's brothers, Joe and Chris, are both playing for the same team.

Results and standards have improved over time. There was a chance that Montserrat could have qualified for the Gold Cup, the Concacaf equivalent of the European Championship, but they fell short.

The people on the island are over the moon that we've been winning recently.

The younger generation of kids are inspired by it. When they're older, they may want to play for the country.

Kids wouldn't play football before. They have a full production line when we go over. They might be successful with football or not, but it gives them a drive and passion that they will use in other areas of life.

Spending more time on the island has given the squad a deeper understanding of who they are and what they do. The players feel better connected to the place.

Going to England is refreshing because it takes us back to who we are, even though we've been raised in a western country.

You can see what happened if you go on a tour in the areas that are not as dangerous. It is part of the history of the island. It has made people look after each other more than before.

We owe it to the people to do everything we can for them even when we're not winning games.

"Our vessel is football, but we have a lot of players who have done things outside of football as well, which is commendable." To show what it is and how beautiful it is.

We're doing something that will last. That's what we need the most.

Only one win from their first four games in the Nations League means that they face an uphill battle to qualify for the Gold Cup. It might not happen this time, but they are on the right path.

When we don't make it, we are disappointed because we can taste how close it is.

We've got the confidence, borderline arrogance, to know we're a good team and we can beat some of the bigger nations.

Everyone knows why we're there and what we're doing. Everyone is out there to do their best for the country.

Montserrat's Alex Dyer in action against Trinidad & Tobago in a Gold Cup qualifier
Dyer (right) in action for Montserrat against Trinidad & Tobago in a Gold Cup qualifier of 2021
A street scene in Plymouth following the eruptions, photo taken in 1997
A street scene in Plymouth following the eruptions, photo taken in 1997
A red phone box is buried in volcanic ash and sand after eruptions on the Caribbean island of Montserrat
The scene in Montserrat's former capital Plymouth in March 1998
A pre-eruption postcard of Plymouth
A new capital for Montserrat is under construction at Little Bay, near to current government centre Brades
Montserrat exclusion zone map
Exclusion zones are still in operation on the island