Vancouver Whitecaps (1986–2010)

Last updated

Vancouver Whitecaps
Vancouver-Whitecaps-FC-Logo.svg
Full nameVancouver Whitecaps
Nickname(s)'Caps
Founded1986;38 years ago (1986) (as Vancouver 86ers) [1]
Dissolved2010;14 years ago (2010) (MLS 2011)
Stadium Swangard Stadium
Burnaby, British Columbia
Capacity5,288
OwnerGreg Kerfoot
Head coach Teitur Thordarson
League
2010 Regular Season: 2nd, NASL
Overall: 5th
Playoffs: Semifinals
Website Club website

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.

Contents

On March 19, 2009, an ownership group led by principal Greg Kerfoot was granted a Major League Soccer expansion franchise which began play in 2011 under the name Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

In addition to its men's side the Whitecaps also field a women's team in the USL W-League, two developmental teams (Vancouver Whitecaps Residency, in the USL Premier Development League, and the Whitecaps FC Prospects, in the Pacific Coast Soccer League), and four youth teams in the USL Super Y-League (Coastal WFC, Mountain WFC, Surrey WFC and Okanagan WFC) ranging in age from U13 to U17 for both boys and girls. [2]

The team was previously known as the Vancouver 86ers of both the Canadian Soccer League, American Professional Soccer League (APSL), and later the A-League. The club later played in two later versions of the second tier A-League known as the USL-1 and USSF Division 2 Professional League in North America.

History

Vancouver 86ers

Vancouver 86ers logo 1993-1998 Vancouver Eighty Sixers logo.gif
Vancouver 86ers logo 1993-1998
Vancouver 86ers logo 1986-1992 Vancouver 86ers logo.png
Vancouver 86ers logo 1986–1992

In 1986, a professional soccer team was again launched in Vancouver. The club was initially going to be named Vancouver United, but that name was rejected for sounding too British. The name Vancouver 86ers was chosen instead to commemorate the founding of the city of Vancouver in 1886, the founding of the team in 1986, the Expo 86 hosted by Vancouver that year, the Canadian national team's first World Cup qualification, [3] and the 86 people who contributed $500 each to fund the new team as the West Coast Soccer Society. [4] [5]

The 86ers played in the Canadian Soccer League (CSL). Led by player/head coach Bob Lenarduzzi and his assistant Alan Errington, the 86ers were triumphant in their inaugural CSL match, as they defeated Edmonton Brick Men 4–2 in front of 7,646 fans at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, BC, on June 7, 1987. [6] [3] The 86ers went on to finish second in the Western Division standings that year before bowing out to inaugural league champions Calgary Kickers in the playoff semifinals. [3] From 1988 to 1991, the 86ers won four straight CSL Championships, as well and five consecutive CSL regular-season first-place finishes from 1988 to 1992. [3]

In 1988–1989, the team, coached by Bob Lenarduzzi, set a North American professional sports record by playing 46 consecutive games without a loss. [7] Also in 1988 the Vancouver 86ers and Calgary Kickers played six friendly matches each against the Western Soccer Alliance in the month of May. [8]

In 1990, the Vancouver 86ers captured the North American Club Championship after defeating the Maryland Bays 3–2 in the final played in Burnaby. [9] [10] The game was played between the champions of the Canadian Soccer League and the champions of the American Professional Soccer League (APSL). [11] The 86ers however came up short in the first round of the 1992 Professional Cup North American Club Championship. [11] Facing APSL champions Colorado Foxes over two legs, Vancouver suffered a heartbreaking 3–2 defeat in the first leg in Colorado on August 3, 1992, before the Foxes advanced to the final, as a 2–1 second-leg win at Swangard on August 11, 1992, secured a 5–3 aggregate victory for Colorado. [11] Vancouver played in the CSL from its inception in 1987 until the league folded in 1992, and then moved over to the APSL in 1993 which was later absorbed into the USL hierarchy of leagues in 1997 becoming the A-League, later renamed the USL. [12]

Vancouver Whitecaps (USL)

Logo of the Vancouver Whitecaps during the USL era Vancouver-Whitecaps-FC-Logo.svg
Logo of the Vancouver Whitecaps during the USL era

In 2001, the team began to use the old Vancouver Whitecaps moniker (signifying both the 'white caps' of the nearby mountains, and the waves of the Pacific Ocean). [13] [14] In 2003, the name was again changed, albeit only slightly, to Whitecaps FC, which encompasses the men's, women's, and youth development teams within the organization. [15] [16] At this time, the Whitecaps logo changed slightly in colour (the light teal-green was replaced with a brighter blue) and the word "Vancouver" was dropped from the image.

In 2006, the Whitecaps organization won an unprecedented double-championship, claiming both the United Soccer Leagues First Division championship trophy, defeating the host Rochester Rhinos 3–0 at PAETEC Park, and winning the W-League women's trophy. The men's team also won the Nation's Cup, a new tournament established by their club as a way to feature the Whitecaps playing against international competition. The 2006 Nation's Cup tournament featured the Chinese and Indian U-20 National teams and Championship Welsh club Cardiff City F.C. (the "Bluebirds"). The gradually added the "Vancouver" back into their name, changing it officially to "Vancouver Whitecaps FC".

The following season, the Whitecaps signed a deal to play an exhibition match against the Los Angeles Galaxy, which featured international David Beckham, and promoted Director of Soccer Operations Bob Lenarduzzi to team president.

October 12, 2008, they claimed their second United Soccer Leagues First Division championship with a 2–1 victory over the Puerto Rico Islanders. Charles Gbeke scored twice with his head in the second half to help secure the title. In 2009, they placed 7th in the league and were eliminated in the final by the Montreal Impact on a 6–3 aggregate. [17]

In November 2009 the Whitecaps, along with several other teams, announced their intent to leave the USL First Division to become the co-founders of a new North American Soccer League, which was to begin play in 2010. [18] [19] On January 7, 2010, the USSF announced that neither the USL nor the NASL would be permitted to have a second division league, [20] and the USSF would administer a league where the NASL and USL are conferences within the league. [21]

On November 24, 2009, it was announced that Paul Barber, the former executive director of Tottenham Hotspur, will become the Chief Executive Operations director of the Caps. [22]

Whitecaps played a 30-match regular season, with 15 home games and a 15 games away in the United States Soccer Federation Division 2 Professional League. [23]

The Whitecaps and Major League Soccer

In May 2008, the Whitecaps announced plans to move to BC Place stadium once renovations were completed. Following the announcement, MLS commissioner Don Garber commented "there is no doubt the market for professional soccer exists in Vancouver, as we saw last November when nearly 50,000 fans attended the exhibition match between the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Whitecaps". [24] [25]

On July 24, 2008, the MLS announced they were seeking to add two expansion franchises for the 2011 season. [26] One day later, the Whitecaps officially announced that they were pursuing one of the two expansion slots. The Whitecaps also announced that local sports icon Steve Nash will join the Whitecaps ownership team. [27]

Vancouver's bid was officially submitted on October 15, 2008, along with bids from six other cities. [28] Whitecaps representatives Greg Kerfoot and Jeff Mallett met with MLS officials on November 21, 2008, to go over their bid. Don Garber, who was previously involved in National Football League expansion, described the bid presentation as, "one of the best I've ever seen." [29] Garber and MLS president Mark Abbott were in Vancouver on December 7, 2008, to tour BC Place Stadium and learn about the proposed renovations, which were scheduled to be completed in time for the 2011 MLS season. [30]

Vancouver was officially named an MLS expansion city on March 18, 2009, and joined the league in 2011. They began their inaugural MLS season at Empire Field, a temporary stadium built at the former site of Empire Stadium, and moved into BC Place Stadium when renovations to the stadium were completed. [31] [32]

Players

Notable former players

Staff

Management

Sports

Medical

Year-by-year

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

SeasonLeaguePositionPlayoffs CC Continental Average attendanceTop goalscorer(s)
DivLeaguePldWLDGFGAGDPtsPPGConf.OverallNameGoals
1987 1 CSL 209833727+10301.502nd4th SF –Ineligible5,993 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Domenic Mobilio [33] 12
1988 CSL 2821168430+54692.461st1st W Western Soccer Alliance N/A [lower-alpha 1] 4,919 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg John Catliff [34]
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Domenic Mobilio [35] 		22
1989 CSL 2618266533+32602.311st1st W Ineligible4,572 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Domenic Mobilio [35] 12
1990 CSL 2617636926+43542.081st1st W North American Club Championship W 4,218 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg John Catliff [36] 19
1991 CSL 2820446931+38642.29N/A1st W Ineligible6,347 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Domenic Mobilio [37] 26
1992 CSL 2011634228+14361.801st RU CONCACAF Champions' Cup
Professional Cup 		R1
R1 		4,344 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg John Catliff
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Dale Mitchell [38] 		6
1993 2 APSL 2415904335+8451.881st SF Ineligible4,866 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Domenic Mobilio [39] 11
1994 APSL 2071302541–16211.056thDNQ4,742 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Domenic Mobilio [40] 7
1995 A-League 241014043430301.253rd SF 4,493 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Giuliano Oliviero [41] 9
1996 A-League 271314038380391.445thDNQ4,068 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Domenic Mobilio [42] 14
1997 A-League 28161205029+21481.713rd6th SF 3,558 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Domenic Mobilio [43] 22
1998 A-League 28151305542+13451.614th15th R1 4,185 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Jason Jordan [44] 8
1999 A-League 2819907731+46572.043rd4th R1 4,559 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Niall Thompson [45] 20
2000 A-League 28141136241+21451.615th9th QF 3,959 Flag of England.svg Darren Tilley [46] 12
2001 A-League 2616824433+11501.921st4th SF 5,542 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Jason Jordan [47] 9
2002 A-League 28111254139+2381.365th10th SF 3,769 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Jason Jordan [48] 9
2003 A-League 2815674524+21521.864th5th QF 4,292 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Ollie Heald
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Jason Jordan [49] 		9
2004 A-League 2814953829+9471.682nd6th SF 4,833 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Jason Jordan [50] 7
2005 USL-1 2812793721+16451.61N/A3rd QF 5,086 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Jason Jordan [51] 17
2006 USL-1 28126104028+12461.644th W 5,085 Flag of the United States.svg Joey Gjertsen [52] 12
2007 USL-1 2897122724+3391.397th QF 5,162 Flag of Cuba.svg Eduardo Sebrango [53] 7
2008 USL-1 3015783428+6531.772nd W 3rd DNQ4,999 Flag of Cuba.svg Eduardo Sebrango [54] 16
2009 USL-1 30111094236+6421.407th RU RU 5,312 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Charles Gbeke [55] 13
2010 D2 Pro 30105153222+10451.502nd5th SF RU 5,152 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Martin Nash [56] 5
Total––6393301991101139759+38011001.72–––––– Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Domenic Mobilio 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.
^ 3. Points and PPG have been adjusted from non-traditional to traditional scoring systems for seasons prior to 2003 to more effectively compare historical team performance across seasons.

Honours

Major

Domestic

Canadian Soccer League

Canadian Championship

USL First Division

International

  • North American Club Championship

Minor

Rivalry Cups

Other

Head coaches

NameNationalityYearsRef
Bob Lenarduzzi Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  CAN 1987–1993
Carl Valentine Flag of England.svg  ENG 1994–1999
Dale Mitchell Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  CAN 2000–2001
Tony Fonseca Flag of Portugal.svg  POR 2002–2004
Bob Lilley Flag of the United States.svg  USA 2005–2007
Teitur Thordarson Flag of Iceland.svg  ISL 2008–2010 [57]

Stadium

Proposed new stadium

For some time, the City of Vancouver and the ownership group of the Whitecaps were considering the idea to build the team a soccer-specific stadium called Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium. The new stadium was to be built over the railway tracks east of Waterfront Station on Burrard Inlet.

This 16,000-seat stadium would have replaced Swangard Stadium as the home field for the USL's Vancouver Whitecaps.

There was a fair degree of controversy with regards to this location; a Vancouver council session to debate the issue was extended to four nights to allow public input. Detractors viewed the proposed stadium as an incongruous addition to nearby historic Gastown that would block waterfront access and promote piecemeal development of the area. Proponents of the development felt that the stadium would attract new business to the downtown and Gastown areas, particularly since the soccer team tended to attract a family-oriented audience.

On July 11, 2006, Vancouver City Council voted unanimously to proceed with the stadium project, so long as the Whitecaps could meet certain conditions regarding land use. On January 22, 2007, the Whitecaps filed a new proposal shifting the proposed site for the stadium project to the current location of the SeaBus terminal, a short distance northwest of the previous site.

With the Whitecaps moving up to MLS, the franchise has signed to initially play at Empire Field, and then BC Place Stadium from 2011 to at least 2015. It was hoped that the new facility would be completed by the 2016 MLS season. Due to the hurdles of getting the new stadium approved, the project has been abandoned with the team committed to playing at BC Place Stadium.

Club culture

Mascot

The Whitecaps' mascot was named Winger. He is a bird who wears a Whitecaps jersey and carries a large drum to encourage the crowd. He often uses signs to get fans in the grandstands to cheer.

Fans

The Whitecaps have an independent supporters group known as the Southsiders . [58] [59] Founded in 1999, the group is named for their preferred seating area in the south end of Swangard Stadium. The Southsiders, once described as a "rabid supporters group", [60] identify themselves as Canada's oldest supporters association for professional domestic soccer.[ citation needed ]

The group originally called themselves "The Carlsberg Crew," named for the beer company that sponsored Swangard's beer garden. The name was changed to "The Canterbury Chorus" for the subsequent season, as the beer sponsorship had changed between seasons. To avoid changing names every time the sponsor changed, the group chose the name "The Southsiders". [61]

Rival clubs

The Vancouver Whitecaps have two historic rivals, the Pacific Northwest Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders. These three teams competed in the yearly Cascadia Cup through 2008. In 2009, the Cup involved only the Whitecaps and Timbers because the Sounders were replaced by an MLS team of the same name.

The Whitecaps also competed on a yearly basis with the Montreal Impact and Toronto FC for the Voyageurs Cup or Canadian Championship. The winner of this series advances to the CONCACAF Champions League.

Notes

  1. ↑ Vancouver played a match against each WSA team in the 1988 season. These matches did count towards the league standings for their opponents, however, Vancouver itself was not included in the league standings, and did not achieve any position. Vancouver finished with a record of 3 wins and 3 losses against WSA opponents.

    Related Research Articles

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Lenarduzzi</span> Canadian soccer player

    Robert Italo Lenarduzzi, OBC is a former North American Soccer League player, Canadian international, and coach of the Canadian national and Olympic soccer teams. He is currently club liaison for Vancouver Whitecaps FC. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Swangard Stadium</span> Multi-purpose stadium in Burnaby, British Columbia

    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.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Vancouver Whitecaps FC (women)</span> Soccer team

    The Vancouver Whitecaps FC women was a Canadian soccer club based in Vancouver, British Columbia that played in the USL W-League, the second tier of women's soccer in the United States and Canada. The team was formed in 2001 under the name Vancouver Breakers following a merger of the Vancouver Lady 86ers and Vancouver Angels. In 2003, they changed their name to the Whitecaps to match the men's team.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Cascadia Cup</span> North American soccer trophy

    The Cascadia Cup is the name of the trophy created in 2004 by supporters of the Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders, and Vancouver Whitecaps, which is awarded each season to the best soccer team in the Pacific Northwest. The cup is named for the Cascadia region. The Timbers, Sounders, and Whitecaps have roots dating to the days of the original North American Soccer League. It was first contested in 2004, and was claimed by the Whitecaps. In 2011 the competition continued with the now Major League Soccer (MLS) sides Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders FC, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Vancouver Whitecaps (1974–1984)</span> Defunct Canadian soccer club

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

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfredo Valente</span> Canadian soccer player (born 1980)

    Alfredo Valente is a former Canadian soccer midfielder who formerly played for the Vancouver Whitecaps of the USL First Division (USL-1). Valente played 11 seasons with the 86ers/Whitecaps organization, winning USL championships with the club in 2006 and 2008. He also played indoor soccer with the Edmonton Drillers of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) early in his professional career. Internationally, Valente has represented Canada with the under-18, under-20 and under-23 national teams.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Rennie (football manager)</span> Scottish footballer and manager

    Martin Rennie is a Scottish football coach, who was most recently the manager of Scottish League One side Falkirk.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Vancouver Whitecaps FC</span> Soccer club in Canada

    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.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Empire Field</span>

    Empire Field was a temporary Canadian football and soccer stadium built at Hastings Park in the Canadian city of Vancouver, British Columbia. Located on the site of the former Empire Stadium, the 27,528 spectator venue was constructed to allow a new retractable roof to be installed at BC Place in 2010 and 2011. Empire Field was home to the Canadian Football League's (CFL) BC Lions for the 2010 and part of the 2011 seasons, and for Major League Soccer's (MLS) Vancouver Whitecaps FC for part of their debut 2011 season.

    The 2009 Portland Timbers season was the ninth season for the club in the United Soccer Leagues First Division (USL-1), the second tier of the United States soccer pyramid. The first competitive game of the 2009 season was played on April 25 at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, BC versus Vancouver Whitecaps FC which the Timbers lost 1–0. Following that loss the Timbers went on a 24-game unbeaten streak in the league on their way to securing the Commissioner's Cup for finishing the regular season atop the table. In a hard-fought, two-legged series, Vancouver Whitecaps FC knocked Portland out of the playoffs in the semifinals by an aggregate score of 5–4. In the U.S. Open Cup the Timbers hosted Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer in the third round but were eliminated by their bitter rivals 2–1 in front of 16,382 spectators at PGE Park in Portland, Oregon.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Vancouver Southsiders</span>

    The Vancouver Southsiders is an independent supporters group for Vancouver Whitecaps FC of Major League Soccer. The group was created in 1999 by soccer fans from Vancouver and its greater metropolitan area to support the former Vancouver Whitecaps FC of the D2 Pro League. The name of the group alludes to the south side of Swangard Stadium, where the supporters first started to congregate.

    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 2009 Vancouver Whitecaps season was the club's 24th year of existence, as well as their 17th and 2nd last year as a Division 2 club in the franchise model of US-based soccer leagues. Vancouver was officially named an MLS expansion city on March 18, 2009. Following the end of the 2010 season, the Whitecaps FC joined MLS, becoming the second Canadian club and 19th overall to enter the league.

    The 2008 Vancouver Whitecaps season was the club's 23rd year of existence, as well as their 16th as a Division 2 club in the franchise model of US-based soccer leagues. With games against well supported MLS side Toronto FC in the Voyageurs Cup and local rival Seattle Sounders selling 22,000 season tickets for MLS in 2009, the Vancouver Whitecaps were marketed as one of the leading markets for a 2011 MLS expansion side. This included expanding the ownership to include Victoria, BC raised NBA star Steve Nash in July. The Division 1 MLS speculation along with the higher profile that came with public negotiations with Vancouver City Council and the Port of Metro Vancouver to develop the Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium gave a boost to media coverage and game attendances. The privately financed stadium, first proposed in 2006, appeared to be reaching its final government land use approvals in 2008.

    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.

    The 1993 Vancouver 86ers season was the club's eighth year of existence, as well as their first as a Division 2 club in the franchise model of U.S.-based soccer leagues. After their 1992 CSL season, the CSL folded and the Whitecaps joined the American Professional Soccer League for the 1993 season. They continued the tradition of excellence from the CSL capturing the Commissioner’s Cup but losing the playoff semifinal in a shootout to the Los Angeles Salsa.

    The 2006 Vancouver Whitecaps FC season was the club's 21st year of existence, as well as their 14th as a Division 2 club in the franchise model of US-based soccer leagues. 2006 was Bob Lilley's second season as head coach, and they started the season with many draws while the team sorted itself out. In the last ten games after some player additions, the Whitecaps lost only two of their last ten games. In the playoffs Vancouver went on a run as the fourth seed. They first had a play-in round series against Miami FC Blues and Romário before upsetting regular season champion or Commissioner's Cup winner and Canadian rival Montreal Impact with two second half of overtime goals in the second leg away in La belle province. The first goal scorer was Eduardo Sebrango, a striker out of favour in Montreal in 2005 that Vancouver signed in the off season. In the single championship game at the regular season runner-up Rochester Rhinos' new home, PAETEC Park, the Whitecaps scored via an own goal just before half time and then put the game out of reach with two more goals to win 0 – 3.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitecaps FC 2</span> Soccer club in Vancouver, British Columbia

    Whitecaps FC 2 is a professional soccer team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada that serves as the reserve team of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC of Major League Soccer.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Vancouver Angels</span> Football club

    Vancouver Angels were a semi-professional women's association football club from Vancouver, British Columbia that competed in the Women's Premier Soccer League. They later merged with the Vancouver Lady 86ers to eventually become the Vancouver Whitecaps Women.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Portland Timbers–Vancouver Whitecaps rivalry</span> American soccer rivalry

    The Portland Timbers–Vancouver Whitecaps rivalry is a soccer rivalry between the Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC, both based in the Cascadia region of United States and Canada. The rivalry originated in the North American Soccer League of the 1970s, and later carried into successor leagues through the 1980s and the 2000s, including the A-League and USL First Division, with both cities reviving expansion teams. The rivalry moved to Major League Soccer, the top division of soccer in the United States, in 2011, where it has grown into one of the largest in North American soccer.

    References

    1. ↑ Whitecaps FC celebrate 35 Years Archived April 27, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
    2. ↑ WFC Super Y Affiliates Archived September 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
    3. 1 2 3 4 "The story of the Vancouver 86ers". Vancouver Whitecaps FC . September 21, 2016.
    4. ↑ McMahon, Martin (August 26, 2011). "Soccer Almanac: The ups and downs and ups of Canadian soccer". mlssoccer.com. Retrieved April 29, 2014.
    5. ↑ Cleaves, Roger (July 19, 2014). "Seattle Sounders Dispatch: The Cascadia Rivalry, One of Sports' Greatest Pt. 1". Last Word on Sports.
    6. ↑ "This day in history, presented by BMO: Vancouver 86ers play first-ever match". Vancouver Whitecaps FC . June 7, 2020.
    7. ↑ "1989 Vancouver 86ers". BC Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
    8. ↑ "WSA 1988 Season". A-leaguearchive.tripod.com. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
    9. ↑ MacIntyre, Iain (September 27, 1990). "Bays beaten in overtime, 3-2, in North American title game Mobilio's goal lifts Vancouver". The Baltimore Sun.
    10. ↑ "Canadian Soccer History". Ottawa Fury SC . Archived from the original on February 7, 2012.
    11. 1 2 3 "Chapter 2: The 86ers Years". Vancouver Whitecaps FC . June 3, 2010.
    12. ↑ Yip, Brandon (October 6, 2020). "The Vancouver 86ers: An Interview with Dale Mitchell". The Other Press.
    13. ↑ Stinson, Dan (April 4, 2001). "Canadian league pondered". The Vancouver Sun. p. 57. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
    14. ↑ Stinson, Dan (August 25, 2000). "What's in a name? Lots if you own the 86ers". The Vancouver Sun. p. 78. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
    15. ↑ Lenarduzzi, Bob (May 11, 2003). "Whitecaps return to field Sunday". The Chilliwack Progress. p. 19. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
    16. ↑ Lenarduzzi, Bob (March 8, 2003). "What's in a name? Lots". The Abbotsford News. p. 14. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
    17. ↑ "Montreal wins USL-1 title". www.uslsoccer.com. October 17, 2009. Archived from the original on May 14, 2011. Retrieved January 9, 2010.
    18. ↑ "USL outcasts set to launch new league in 2010". Soccerbyives.net. November 10, 2009. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
    19. ↑ Molinaro, John F. (November 10, 2009). "CBC Sports: Whitecaps, Impact to form breakaway league". Cbc.ca. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
    20. ↑ "US Soccer Federation To Oversee Combined NASL/USL League". Goal.com. January 7, 2010. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
    21. ↑ "Impact, Whitecaps join new league". Toronto Sun. January 7, 2010. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
    22. ↑ Whitecaps appoint CEO from EPL club [ dead link ]
    23. ↑ 2010 regular season announced [ dead link ]
    24. ↑ "MLS Welcomes News of Soccer's Return to BC Place". www.socceramerica.com. Canwest News Service. May 16, 2008. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
    25. ↑ "Latest News | MLSsoccer.com". Web.mlsnet.com. July 21, 2011. Archived from the original on February 15, 2009. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
    26. ↑ "Major League Soccer: News: Article". Web.mlsnet.com. July 21, 2011. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
    27. ↑ 'Caps pursue franchise in MLS Archived July 31, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
    28. ↑ "MLS News and Notes". The Star-Ledger. November 21, 2008.
    29. ↑ "MLS expansion fee won't scare away Whitecaps". The Vancouver Sun. November 25, 2008. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
    30. ↑ "MLS bosses tour BC Place". The Vancouver Sun. December 11, 2008. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009.
    31. ↑ "Whitecaps to announce they will join MLS in 2011". The Vancouver Sun. March 17, 2009. Archived from the original on March 22, 2009.
    32. ↑ MLS awards Vancouver team for 2011 Archived July 26, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
    33. ↑ Litterer, David (December 12, 2011). "The Year in American Soccer – 1987". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on July 8, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
    34. ↑ Litterer, David (June 15, 2008). "The Year in American Soccer – 1988". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on July 13, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
    35. 1 2 Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. "Domenic Mobilio". National Football Teams. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
    36. ↑ Litterer, David (January 29, 2006). "The Year in American Soccer – 1990". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on July 13, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
    37. ↑ Litterer, David (January 29, 2006). "The Year in American Soccer – 1991". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on December 28, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
    38. ↑ Litterer, David (May 30, 2008). "The Year in American Soccer – 1992". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on December 6, 2009. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
    39. ↑ Litterer, David (May 30, 2008). "The Year in American Soccer – 1993". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on March 17, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
    40. ↑ Litterer, David. "The Year in American Soccer – 1994". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on May 4, 2010. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
    41. ↑ Litterer, David (January 29, 2006). "The Year in American Soccer – 1995". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on September 26, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
    42. ↑ Litterer, David (May 30, 2008). "The Year in American Soccer – 1996". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on August 15, 2017. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
    43. ↑ Litterer, David (May 30, 2008). "The Year in American Soccer – 1997". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on December 18, 2010. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
    44. ↑ Name, No. "1998 USL First Division". US soccer statistics from 1866 to 2013. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
    45. ↑ Douglas, Alan (February 27, 2002). "Niall Thompson Rejoins Vancouver". USL Fans News 2002. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
    46. ↑ Litterer, David (January 2, 2011). "The Year in American Soccer – 2000". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on December 29, 2016. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
    47. ↑ Litterer, David (December 12, 2011). "The Year in American Soccer – 2001". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on February 6, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
    48. ↑ Name, No. "2002 USL First Division". US soccer statistics from 1866 to 2013. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
    49. ↑ "A-League 2003". USL Stats Archive 2003 Results/Schedules. 2003. Archived from the original on January 11, 2014. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
    50. ↑ Litterer, David (July 12, 2012). "The Year in American Soccer – 2004". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on May 10, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
    51. ↑ Litterer, David. "The Year in American Soccer – 2005". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
    52. ↑ Litterer, David (January 22, 2011). "The Year in American Soccer – 2006". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
    53. ↑ Litterer, David (April 10, 2010). "The Year in American Soccer – 2007". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on November 15, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
    54. ↑ Litterer, David (April 10, 2010). "The Year in American Soccer – 2008". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
    55. ↑ Litterer, David (January 16, 2011). "The Year in American Soccer – 2009". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on February 18, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
    56. ↑ Litterer, David (December 12, 2011). "The Year in American Soccer – 2010". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on February 16, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
    57. ↑ "Thordarson Given His Big Chance". Prost Amerika. September 2, 2010. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
    58. ↑ The Official Supporters Group of The Vancouver Whitecaps (USSF D2)
    59. ↑ "Vancouver Southsiders". Vancouver Southsiders. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
    60. ↑ Steedman, Scott (September 10, 2010). "Taking the ball". Vancouver Courier. Archived from the original on September 16, 2010. Retrieved September 20, 2010.
    61. ↑ The Southsiders Official Homepage. Archived July 22, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on July 22, 2010.
    This page is based on this Wikipedia article
    Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
    Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.