The Vancouver Whitecaps were a Canadian professional soccer club based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Founded in 1986, the team played its final year in the second tier of the United States soccer pyramid in the NASL Conference of the USSF Division 2 Professional League coached by Teitur Thordarson. The team played its home games at Swangard Stadium in nearby Burnaby, British Columbia. The team's colours were blue and white.
Swangard Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Central Park in Burnaby, British Columbia. Primarily used for soccer, rugby, football, and athletics, the stadium also used to be home to the Simon Fraser Clan football team and the Vancouver Whitecaps while they were in the Canadian Soccer League (CSL) and various US-based Division 2 leagues. It opened on April 26, 1969, and has a capacity of 5,288.
Pa Modou Kah is a Norwegian football coach and former footballer who currently serves as an assistant coach with Charlotte FC of Major League Soccer.
Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Vancouver. They compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The MLS iteration of the club was established on March 18, 2009, and began play in 2011 as the 17th team to enter Major League Soccer while replacing the USSF Division 2 team of the same name in the city, making them a phoenix club and the third to carry the Whitecaps name. The club has been owned and managed by the same group since their USSF days.
The history of Vancouver Whitecaps FC, a professional soccer team based in Vancouver, Canada, spans over four decades. The first team to use the "Whitecaps" name was the Vancouver Whitecaps of the now-defunct North American Soccer League, playing from 1974 to 1984. After two years while the core of the players were focused on preparations for the 1986 World Cup, a second version of the club was founded in 1986 as the Vancouver 86ers. This team bought back the Whitecaps name in 2000 and has operated continuously in various leagues since 1986. A Whitecaps FC team began play in Major League Soccer starting in 2011 making it the first time since 1984 that a "Whitecaps" team played in the top tier of soccer in the United States and Canada.
The 2007 Vancouver Whitecaps FC season was the club's 22nd year of existence, as well as their 15th as a Division 2 club in the franchise model of US-based soccer leagues. After their championship 2006 season despite a number of lingering injuries, the Whitecaps started well and led the league going undefeated until late May. However, with the sudden departure to England of starting goalkeeper Tony Caig and unexpected early season loss of Serge Djekanovic to MLS, the Whitecaps had goalkeeping instability as they gave significant minutes to four goalkeepers in 2007. Combined with injuries, the club never recovered from the challenging schedule due to 2007 FIFA U-20 venue conflicts, the team finished 7th in the USL-1, set a club record twelve game streak without a win, subsequently executed a blockbuster four player trade of 2006 USL MVP Joey Gjertsen, and midfielder David Testo for role players Ze Roberto and Surrey, BC native Alen Marcina, and set a club record for number of draws with twelve. A run of games at home to end the season in seventh place and the resolution of injuries left the Whitecaps competitive in the second season of the playoffs. They lost a close playoff series to rival Portland Timbers with a 1–0 home leg getting overturned in a much closer than the score indicated 3–0 second leg loss to finish their disappointing season. Coach Bob Lilley was released at the end of the playoffs before the LA Galaxy friendly.
Sean Melvin is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Pacific FC in the Canadian Premier League.
Terran Campbell is a Canadian professional soccer player who currently plays for Forge FC in the Canadian Premier League.
Thomas Gardner is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder.
Dominick Lukasz Zator is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Ekstraklasa club Korona Kielce and the Canada national team.
Gloire Amanda is a professional soccer player. Born in Tanzania, he represented Canada at youth international level.
Patrick Metcalfe is a Canadian professional soccer player who currently plays for Fredrikstad.
Adam Smith is currently serving as the Sporting Director for USL League 1 team, Central Valley Fuego FC. Smith has held coaching positions at Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer, Fresno FC and Sacramento Republic. Prior to joining Fuego, Smith took the role of CEO and Director of Football at USL League 2 team Ventura County Fusion. Fusion had previously been on a two-year hiatus from the league due to Covid shutdowns, but returned to win the National Championship in 2022. During the 2021 season, Smith took an interim position as First Team Coach at Detroit City FC. This was to provide short-term help to the Head Coach and General manager, Trevor James. Detroit went onto win the NISA Legends tournament that same season.
Christopher Lee is a Canadian soccer player who plays as a defender.
MLS Next Pro (MLSNP) is a men's professional soccer league in the United States and Canada that is affiliated with Major League Soccer. It launched in 2022 with 21 teams and now comprises 27 reserve sides of MLS clubs and 2 independent clubs. MLS Next Pro is classified as part of the third tier of the United States soccer league system.
Jay Joshua Herdman is a professional soccer player who currently plays for Canadian club Whitecaps FC 2 in MLS Next Pro. Born in New Zealand, he has represented both Canada and New Zealand at youth level.
Robert Owen Antoniuk is a Canadian soccer player who plays for Calgary Foothills FC in League1 Alberta.
Giovanni Aguilar is an American soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Las Vegas Lights.
Levonte Leroy Brown Johnson is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Major League Soccer.
Simone Masi is a Canadian soccer player.
