Vancouver Whitecaps (1974–1984)

This article is about the defunct Vancouver Whitecaps team from the North American Soccer League. For the MLS team, see Vancouver Whitecaps FC. For the former USL team, see Vancouver Whitecaps (1986–2010).

Vancouver Whitecaps

Full name	Vancouver Whitecaps
Nickname(s)	The 'Caps
Founded	December 11, 1973 [1]
Dissolved	1984;41 years ago (1984)
Stadium	Empire Stadium (1974–1983) BC Place (1983–1984) Indoor: Pacific Coliseum (1980–81, 1983–84) PNE Agrodome (1981–1982)
Capacity	30,000 (Empire) 60,000 (BC Place) 15,613 (Coliseum) 3,200 (Agrodome)
League	NASL
1984	2nd, West Division Playoffs: Semifinals
Home colours Away colours

The original Vancouver Whitecaps are a professional soccer team founded on December 11, 1973. During the 1970s and 1980s they played in the North American Soccer League (NASL).

The Whitecaps of that era included international players such as Alan Ball, Ruud Krol and Bruce Grobbelaar, but also British Columbian stars like Bobby and Sam Lenarduzzi, Buzz Parsons, and Bruce Wilson.

In 1979, the team from the "Village of Vancouver" (a reference to ABC TV sportscaster Jim McKay's observation that "Vancouver must be like the deserted village right now", with so many people watching the game on TV) beat the powerhouse New York Cosmos in one of the most thrilling playoff series in NASL history to advance to the 1979 Soccer Bowl. Saturday, September 8, 1979, they triumphed against the Tampa Bay Rowdies at the Giants Stadium before a crowd of 50,699 (66,843 tickets had been sold for the game). ^[2]

It was during this short period that soccer interest peaked in Vancouver. The Whitecaps attendance at Empire Stadium grew to an average of 28,000 per game with playoff matches reaching the 32,000 capacity. ^[3] The team also recorded two tracks, with "White Is the Colour" (a takeoff on Chelsea's "Blue Is the Colour") becoming a hit on local radio during the run-up to their championship win.

The Whitecaps kit starting in 1978 featured a new two-tone blue design created by Vancouver-based graphic designer Dick Martin, who also re-designed the logo and jersey for the CFL team BC Lions.

After playing at Vancouver's 32,000-seat Empire Stadium for most of their existence, the team moved into the new 60,000-seat BC Place Stadium in 1983.

The team played indoor soccer on and off during their existence. The Pacific Coliseum served as the home field for their 1980–81 and 1983–84 NASL indoor seasons. However, for the 1981–82 indoor season the Whitecaps used the much smaller PNE Agrodome, as the Pacific Coliseum became unavailable. ^[4]

History

Vancouver was announced as an expansion franchise in the North American Soccer League on December 11, 1973, set to enter the league in 1974 alongside Seattle, Los Angeles, and San Jose. The seven-person ownership group was led by Herb Capozzi and included several businesspeople from the Lower Mainland. ^[5] The city had previously hosted the Vancouver Royal Canadians, a United Soccer Association team that played for the 1967 season with players from Sunderland A.F.C and in 1968 as the Royals before folding. ^[6] The team announced their name, the Whitecaps, in February 1974 and signed their first player, former West Bromwich Albion striker and Vancouver native Glen Johnson. ^[7]

Year-by-year

Main article: History of Vancouver Whitecaps FC

This is a complete list of seasons for the NASL club. For a season-by-season history including the current MLS franchise, see History of Vancouver Whitecaps FC. For solely MLS results, see List of Vancouver Whitecaps FC seasons.

Season	League											Position			Playoffs	Continental		Average attendance	Top goalscorer(s)
	Div	League	Pld	W	L	D	GF	GA	GD	Pts	PPG	Div.	Conf.	Overall					Name	Goals
1974	1	NASL	20	5	11	4	29	31	–2	70	3.50	4th	—	12th	DNQ	Ineligible		10,098	Brian Gant [8]	6
1975		NASL	22	11	11	0	38	28	+10	99	4.50	4th		11th				7,579	Glen Johnson [9]	8
1976		NASL	24	14	10	0	38	30	+8	120	5.00	3rd	5th	9th	R1			8,655	3 players [10]	5
1977		NASL	26	14	12	0	43	36	+7	124	4.77	2nd	4th	7th	R1			11,897	Derek Possee [11]	11
1978		NASL	30	24	6	0	68	29	+39	199	6.63	1st	2nd	2nd	QF			15,736	Kevin Hector [12]	21
1979		NASL	30	20	10	0	54	34	+20	172	5.73	1st	3rd	4th	W			22,962	Kevin Hector [13]	15
1980		NASL	32	16	16	0	52	47	+5	139	4.34	3rd	7th	14th	R1			26,834	Trevor Whymark [14]	15
1981		NASL	32	21	11	0	74	43	+31	186	5.81	1st	—	3rd	R1			23,236	Carl Valentine [15]	10
1982		NASL	32	20	12	0	58	48	+10	160	5.00	3rd		5th	QF			18,254	Ray Hankin [16]	11
1983		NASL	30	24	6	0	63	34	+29	187	6.23	1st		2nd	QF			29,166	David Cross [17]	19
1984		NASL	24	13	11	0	51	48	+3	117	4.88	2nd		4th	SF			15,190	Peter Ward [18]	16
Total	–	–	302	182	116	4	568	408	+160	1573	5.21	–	–	–	–		–	Unknown	167

^ 1. Avg. attendance include statistics from league matches only.
^ 2. Top goalscorer(s) includes all goals scored in League, League Playoffs, Canadian Championship, CONCACAF Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, and other competitive continental matches.

Indoor

Season	League							Position		Playoffs
	League	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Conf.	Overall
1975	NASL	2	1	1	18	11	+7	2nd	6th	DNQ
1976	NASL	2	0	2	8	29	−21	4th	12th
1980–81	NASL	18	11	7	91	96	−5	1st	5th	SF
1981–82	NASL	18	10	8	93	94	−1	3rd	6th	R1
Total	40	22	18	210	230	−20

Honours

NASL Championship 1979 Conference titles 1979 National Conference Champions Division titles 1978 Western Division (National Conference) 1979 Western Division (National Conference) 1981 Northwest Division 1980–81 Northwest Division (indoor) 1983 Western Division NASL attendance leader 1983 (29,164 per game) 1984 (15,208 per game) NASL coach of the year 1978 Tony Waiters 1982 Johnny Giles North American player of the year 1978 Bob Lenarduzzi 1983 Tino Lettieri NASL playoff MVP 1979 Alan Ball NASL leading goalkeeper 1978 Phil Parkes (GAA: 0.95, Wins: 23, SO: 10) 1979 Phil Parkes (GAA: 0.96, SO: 7) 1982 Tino Lettieri (GAA: 1.23) 1983 Tino Lettieri (GAA: 0.86, GA: 25, SO: 11) U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame members 2003: Bob Lenarduzzi, Arnie Mausser, Bruce Wilson Indoor Soccer Hall of Fame members 2014 Dale Mitchell [19] Indoor All-Star game 1983–84 Reserves: Carl Valentine, Peter Ward, Tino Lettieri [20]

All-Star First Team selections 1977 Bruce Wilson 1979 Phil Parkes 1980 Rudi Krol 1983 David Watson, Frans Thijssen 1984 Frans Thijssen, Peter Ward All-Star Second Team selections 1977 Buzz Parsons 1978 John Craven, Kevin Hector 1979 Alan Ball, Bob Lenarduzzi 1981 Peter Lorimer, Pierce O'Leary 1983 Tino Lettieri 1983–84 Carl Valentine [21] (indoor) 1984 Bob Lenarduzzi, Fran O'Brien All-Star honourable mentions 1976 Tommy Ord 1982 Carl Valentine, John Wile 1983 Peter Beardsley, David Cross, Fran O'Brien [22] 1984 Paul Bradshaw, Carl Valentine Indoor All-Stars 1980–81 Carl Valentine, Gerry Gray, Bruce Grobbelaar [23] Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame members 2000 Sam Lenarduzzi, Luigi Moro, Bruce Wilson 2001 Gerry Gray, Bob Lenarduzzi, Tino Lettieri, Tony Waiters 2002 Dale Mitchell, Mike Sweeney 2003 Ian Bridge, Buzz Parsons, Carl Valentine 2004 Bob Bolitho 2005 Garry Ayre 2006 Brian Robinson, Randy Samuel 2007 Herb Capozzi, Glen Johnson 2008 Bruce Twamley, Les Wilson 2009 Neil Ellett 2011 Victor Kodelja, Soccer Bowl '79 Champions 2014 Chris Bennett [24]

Statistics

Attendance

The record home attendance for a Whitecaps game was on June 20, 1983. 60,342 came to watch the caps take on the Seattle Sounders in the first game at BC Place Stadium. It was also the largest crowd to ever see a club soccer match in Canada until the Montreal Impact surpassed the mark with 60,860 on May 12, 2012.

Original NASL Whitecaps Logo.

Average yearly attendance

• 1974 10,098
• 1975 7,579
• 1976 8,656
• 1977 11,897
• 1978 15,724
• 1979 22,962
• 1980 26,834
• 1981 23,236
• 1982 18,251
• 1983 29,164
• 1984 15,208

See also

• Vancouver Royals
• History of Vancouver Whitecaps FC

References

1. "'Caps Coaches – The NASL Days | Vancouver Whitecaps FC". Whitecapsfc.com. August 29, 2010. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
2. "The Morning Record and Journal - Google News Archive Search". google.com. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
3. "Vancouver's soccer boom kicks sports scene up a notch". Vancouver Sun. November 6, 2015. Retrieved March 2, 2020. Five years later, the average was 28,000 and the club was selling out playoff games at 32,000.
4. "The Vancouver Sun - Google News Archive Search". google.com. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
5. Kearney, Jim (December 11, 1973). "Capozzi brings pro soccer back to city". The Vancouver Sun . p. 23. Retrieved December 5, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
6. Cross, Jeff (December 12, 1973). "Professional soccer back in town". The Province . p. 25. Retrieved December 5, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
7. Cross, Jeff (February 5, 1974). "Whitecaps the name, soccer's the game". The Province. p. 11. Retrieved December 5, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
8. "NASL Soccer North American Soccer League Players-Brian Gant". Nasljerseys.com. April 23, 1952. Retrieved March 7, 2012.
9. Holroyd, Steven (January 31, 2010). "The Year in American Soccer – 1975". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
10. "Vancouver Whitecaps Rosters – 1976". Nasljerseys.com. April 23, 1952. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
11. Holroyd, Steven (October 21, 2003). "The Year in American Soccer – 1977". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on July 13, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
12. Litterer, David (October 27, 2003). "The Year in American Soccer – 1978". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on February 17, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
13. Litterer, David (May 30, 2010). "The Year in American Soccer – 1979". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on May 10, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
14. Litterer, David (January 31, 2010). "The Year in American Soccer – 1980". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
15. Litterer, David (June 6, 2004). "The Year in American Soccer – 1981". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on January 7, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
16. Litterer, David (August 15, 2012). "The Year in American Soccer – 1982". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on November 28, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
17. Litterer, David (August 17, 2011). "The Year in American Soccer – 1983". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on February 5, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
18. Holroyd, Steve (January 31, 2010). "The Year in American Soccer – 1984". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on July 13, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
19. "Home". indoorsoccerhall.com. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
20. "Hey Now, You're An All-Star". kenn.com. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
21. "NASL all-stars". Chicago Tribune. April 10, 1984. p. 4; sec 4. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
22. "The New York Cosmos, who won the regular-season point..."
23. Henderson, Jim (April 21, 1981). "For Keith Bailey, The Long Wait Is Finally Over". The Tampa Tribune. p. 5-C. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
24. "Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum Website > Hall of Fame > Hall of Fame Inductee Announcements > 2014 Inductees". Archived from the original on August 10, 2014. Retrieved August 9, 2014.

Preceded by 1978 Cosmos	NASL Champions 1979 (first title)	Succeeded by 1980 New York Cosmos