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Vancouver Whitecaps (1986–2010)

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.

Vancouver Whitecaps
Full nameVancouver Whitecaps
Nickname(s)'Caps
Founded1986; 38 years ago (1986) (as Vancouver 86ers)[1]
Dissolved2010; 14 years ago (2010) (MLS 2011)
StadiumSwangard Stadium
Burnaby, British Columbia
Capacity5,288
OwnerGreg Kerfoot
Head coachTeitur Thordarson
League
2010Regular Season: 2nd, NASL
Overall: 5th
Playoffs: Semifinals
WebsiteClub website

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 edit

Vancouver 86ers edit

 
Vancouver 86ers logo 1993-1998
 
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) edit

 
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 edit

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 edit

Notable former players edit

Staff edit

Management edit

  • Greg Kerfoot Owner
  • Bob Lenarduzzi President
  • Paul Barber Chief Executive Officer
  • Rachel Lewis Chief Operating Officer
  • Dave Irvine Manager of Technical Programs
  • Tom Soehn Director of Soccer Operations
  • Chris Murphy Director of Professional Development
  • Dan Lenarduzzi Director of Youth Development

Sports edit

Medical edit

  • Graeme Poole Physiotherapist
  • Chris Franks Physiotherapist
  • Al Ezaki Athletic Therapist
  • Dr. Bob McCormack Team Physician
  • Dr. Jim Bovard Team Physician
  • Steve Ramsbottom Strength & Conditioning Specialist
  • Darren Woloshen Equipment Manager

Year-by-year edit

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.

Season League Position Playoffs CC Continental Average attendance Top goalscorer(s)
Div League Pld W L D GF GA GD Pts PPG Conf. Overall Name Goals
1987 1 CSL 20 9 8 3 37 27 +10 30 1.50 2nd 4th SF Ineligible 5,993   Domenic Mobilio[33] 12
1988 CSL 28 21 1 6 84 30 +54 69 2.46 1st 1st W Western Soccer Alliance N/A[a] 4,919   John Catliff[34]
  Domenic Mobilio[35]
22
1989 CSL 26 18 2 6 65 33 +32 60 2.31 1st 1st W Ineligible 4,572   Domenic Mobilio[35] 12
1990 CSL 26 17 6 3 69 26 +43 54 2.08 1st 1st W North American Club Championship W 4,218   John Catliff[36] 19
1991 CSL 28 20 4 4 69 31 +38 64 2.29 N/A 1st W Ineligible 6,347   Domenic Mobilio[37] 26
1992 CSL 20 11 6 3 42 28 +14 36 1.80 1st RU CONCACAF Champions' Cup
Professional Cup
R1
R1
4,344   John Catliff
  Dale Mitchell[38]
6
1993 2 APSL 24 15 9 0 43 35 +8 45 1.88 1st SF Ineligible 4,866   Domenic Mobilio[39] 11
1994 APSL 20 7 13 0 25 41 –16 21 1.05 6th DNQ 4,742   Domenic Mobilio[40] 7
1995 A-League 24 10 14 0 43 43 0 30 1.25 3rd SF 4,493   Giuliano Oliviero[41] 9
1996 A-League 27 13 14 0 38 38 0 39 1.44 5th DNQ 4,068   Domenic Mobilio[42] 14
1997 A-League 28 16 12 0 50 29 +21 48 1.71 3rd 6th SF 3,558   Domenic Mobilio[43] 22
1998 A-League 28 15 13 0 55 42 +13 45 1.61 4th 15th R1 4,185   Jason Jordan[44] 8
1999 A-League 28 19 9 0 77 31 +46 57 2.04 3rd 4th R1 4,559   Niall Thompson[45] 20
2000 A-League 28 14 11 3 62 41 +21 45 1.61 5th 9th QF 3,959   Darren Tilley[46] 12
2001 A-League 26 16 8 2 44 33 +11 50 1.92 1st 4th SF 5,542   Jason Jordan[47] 9
2002 A-League 28 11 12 5 41 39 +2 38 1.36 5th 10th SF 3,769   Jason Jordan[48] 9
2003 A-League 28 15 6 7 45 24 +21 52 1.86 4th 5th QF 4,292   Ollie Heald
  Jason Jordan[49]
9
2004 A-League 28 14 9 5 38 29 +9 47 1.68 2nd 6th SF 4,833   Jason Jordan[50] 7
2005 USL-1 28 12 7 9 37 21 +16 45 1.61 N/A 3rd QF 5,086   Jason Jordan[51] 17
2006 USL-1 28 12 6 10 40 28 +12 46 1.64 4th W 5,085   Joey Gjertsen[52] 12
2007 USL-1 28 9 7 12 27 24 +3 39 1.39 7th QF 5,162   Eduardo Sebrango[53] 7
2008 USL-1 30 15 7 8 34 28 +6 53 1.77 2nd W 3rd DNQ 4,999   Eduardo Sebrango[54] 16
2009 USL-1 30 11 10 9 42 36 +6 42 1.40 7th RU RU 5,312   Charles Gbeke[55] 13
2010 D2 Pro 30 10 5 15 32 22 +10 45 1.50 2nd 5th SF RU 5,152   Martin Nash[56] 5
Total 639 330 199 110 1139 759 +380 1100 1.72   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 edit

Major edit

Domestic edit

Canadian Soccer League

Canadian Championship

USL First Division

International edit

  • North American Club Championship

Minor edit

Rivalry Cups

Other

  • Nations Cup
    • Winners: 2006

Head coaches edit

Name Nationality Years Ref
Bob Lenarduzzi   CAN 1987–1993
Carl Valentine   ENG 1994–1999
Dale Mitchell   CAN 2000–2001
Tony Fonseca   POR 2002–2004
Bob Lilley   USA 2005–2007
Teitur Thordarson   ISL 2008–2010 [57]

Stadium edit

Proposed new stadium edit

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 edit

Mascot edit

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 edit

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 edit

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 edit

  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.

References edit

  1. ^ Whitecaps FC celebrate 35 Years April 27, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ WFC Super Y Affiliates September 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ a b c d "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. ^ . BC Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved May 12, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  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. ^ . Ottawa Fury SC. Archived from the original on February 7, 2012.
  11. ^ a b c "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. ^ . 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. ^ . 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 July 31, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  28. ^ "MLS News and Notes". The Star-Ledger. November 21, 2008.
  29. ^ . The Vancouver Sun. November 25, 2008. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  30. ^ . The Vancouver Sun. December 11, 2008. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009.
  31. ^ . The Vancouver Sun. March 17, 2009. Archived from the original on March 22, 2009.
  32. ^ MLS awards Vancouver team for 2011 July 26, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  33. ^ Litterer, David (December 12, 2011). . American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on July 8, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  34. ^ Litterer, David (June 15, 2008). . American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on July 13, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  35. ^ a b Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. "Domenic Mobilio". National Football Teams. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  36. ^ Litterer, David (January 29, 2006). . American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on July 13, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  37. ^ Litterer, David (January 29, 2006). . American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on December 28, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  38. ^ Litterer, David (May 30, 2008). . American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on December 6, 2009. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  39. ^ Litterer, David (May 30, 2008). . American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on March 17, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  40. ^ Litterer, David. . American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on May 4, 2010. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  41. ^ Litterer, David (January 29, 2006). . American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on September 26, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  42. ^ Litterer, David (May 30, 2008). . American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on August 15, 2017. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  43. ^ Litterer, David (May 30, 2008). . 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). . American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on December 29, 2016. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  47. ^ Litterer, David (December 12, 2011). . 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. ^ . 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). . American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on May 10, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  51. ^ Litterer, David. . American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  52. ^ Litterer, David (January 22, 2011). . American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  53. ^ Litterer, David (April 10, 2010). . American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on November 15, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  54. ^ Litterer, David (April 10, 2010). . American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  55. ^ Litterer, David (January 16, 2011). . American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on February 18, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  56. ^ Litterer, David (December 12, 2011). . American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on February 16, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  57. ^ . Prost Amerika. September 2, 2010. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
  58. ^
  59. ^ "Vancouver Southsiders". Vancouver Southsiders. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
  60. ^ Steedman, Scott (September 10, 2010). . Vancouver Courier. Archived from the original on September 16, 2010. Retrieved September 20, 2010.
  61. ^ The Southsiders Official Homepage. July 22, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on July 22, 2010.

External links edit

  • Official website

vancouver, whitecaps, 1986, 2010, this, article, about, second, division, ussf, senior, team, team, vancouver, whitecaps, nasl, team, vancouver, whitecaps, 1974, 1984, vancouver, whitecaps, were, canadian, professional, soccer, club, based, vancouver, british,. This article is about the second division USL USSF D2 senior men s team For the MLS team see Vancouver Whitecaps FC For the NASL team see Vancouver Whitecaps 1974 1984 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 Vancouver WhitecapsFull nameVancouver WhitecapsNickname s CapsFounded1986 38 years ago 1986 as Vancouver 86ers 1 Dissolved2010 14 years ago 2010 MLS 2011 StadiumSwangard StadiumBurnaby British ColumbiaCapacity5 288OwnerGreg KerfootHead coachTeitur ThordarsonLeagueCSL 1987 1992 APSL 1993 1994 A League 1995 2004 USL First Division 2005 2009 USSF Division 2 Professional League 2010 2010Regular Season 2nd NASLOverall 5thPlayoffs SemifinalsWebsiteClub websiteHome coloursAway coloursOn 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 Contents 1 History 1 1 Vancouver 86ers 1 2 Vancouver Whitecaps USL 1 3 The Whitecaps and Major League Soccer 2 Players 2 1 Notable former players 2 2 Staff 2 2 1 Management 2 2 2 Sports 2 2 3 Medical 3 Year by year 4 Honours 4 1 Major 4 1 1 Domestic 4 1 2 International 4 2 Minor 5 Head coaches 6 Stadium 6 1 Proposed new stadium 7 Club culture 7 1 Mascot 7 2 Fans 7 3 Rival clubs 8 Notes 9 References 10 External linksHistory editMain article History of Vancouver Whitecaps FC Vancouver 86ers edit nbsp Vancouver 86ers logo 1993 1998 nbsp Vancouver 86ers logo 1986 1992In 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 edit nbsp Logo of the Vancouver Whitecaps during the USL eraIn 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 edit Main article Vancouver Whitecaps FC 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 editNotable former players edit See also All time Vancouver Whitecaps roster Staff edit Management edit Greg Kerfoot Owner Bob Lenarduzzi President Paul Barber Chief Executive Officer Rachel Lewis Chief Operating Officer Dave Irvine Manager of Technical Programs Tom Soehn Director of Soccer Operations Chris Murphy Director of Professional Development Dan Lenarduzzi Director of Youth DevelopmentSports edit Teitur Thordarson Head Coach Colin Miller Assistant Coach Mike Salmon Goalkeeping CoachMedical edit Graeme Poole Physiotherapist Chris Franks Physiotherapist Al Ezaki Athletic Therapist Dr Bob McCormack Team Physician Dr Jim Bovard Team Physician Steve Ramsbottom Strength amp Conditioning Specialist Darren Woloshen Equipment ManagerYear by year editMain article History of Vancouver Whitecaps FC 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 Season League Position Playoffs CC Continental Average attendance Top goalscorer s Div League Pld W L D GF GA GD Pts PPG Conf Overall Name Goals1987 1 CSL 20 9 8 3 37 27 10 30 1 50 2nd 4th SF Ineligible 5 993 nbsp Domenic Mobilio 33 121988 CSL 28 21 1 6 84 30 54 69 2 46 1st 1st W Western Soccer Alliance N A a 4 919 nbsp John Catliff 34 nbsp Domenic Mobilio 35 221989 CSL 26 18 2 6 65 33 32 60 2 31 1st 1st W Ineligible 4 572 nbsp Domenic Mobilio 35 121990 CSL 26 17 6 3 69 26 43 54 2 08 1st 1st W North American Club Championship W 4 218 nbsp John Catliff 36 191991 CSL 28 20 4 4 69 31 38 64 2 29 N A 1st W Ineligible 6 347 nbsp Domenic Mobilio 37 261992 CSL 20 11 6 3 42 28 14 36 1 80 1st RU CONCACAF Champions Cup Professional Cup R1 R1 4 344 nbsp John Catliff nbsp Dale Mitchell 38 61993 2 APSL 24 15 9 0 43 35 8 45 1 88 1st SF Ineligible 4 866 nbsp Domenic Mobilio 39 111994 APSL 20 7 13 0 25 41 16 21 1 05 6th DNQ 4 742 nbsp Domenic Mobilio 40 71995 A League 24 10 14 0 43 43 0 30 1 25 3rd SF 4 493 nbsp Giuliano Oliviero 41 91996 A League 27 13 14 0 38 38 0 39 1 44 5th DNQ 4 068 nbsp Domenic Mobilio 42 141997 A League 28 16 12 0 50 29 21 48 1 71 3rd 6th SF 3 558 nbsp Domenic Mobilio 43 221998 A League 28 15 13 0 55 42 13 45 1 61 4th 15th R1 4 185 nbsp Jason Jordan 44 81999 A League 28 19 9 0 77 31 46 57 2 04 3rd 4th R1 4 559 nbsp Niall Thompson 45 202000 A League 28 14 11 3 62 41 21 45 1 61 5th 9th QF 3 959 nbsp Darren Tilley 46 122001 A League 26 16 8 2 44 33 11 50 1 92 1st 4th SF 5 542 nbsp Jason Jordan 47 92002 A League 28 11 12 5 41 39 2 38 1 36 5th 10th SF 3 769 nbsp Jason Jordan 48 92003 A League 28 15 6 7 45 24 21 52 1 86 4th 5th QF 4 292 nbsp Ollie Heald nbsp Jason Jordan 49 92004 A League 28 14 9 5 38 29 9 47 1 68 2nd 6th SF 4 833 nbsp Jason Jordan 50 72005 USL 1 28 12 7 9 37 21 16 45 1 61 N A 3rd QF 5 086 nbsp Jason Jordan 51 172006 USL 1 28 12 6 10 40 28 12 46 1 64 4th W 5 085 nbsp Joey Gjertsen 52 122007 USL 1 28 9 7 12 27 24 3 39 1 39 7th QF 5 162 nbsp Eduardo Sebrango 53 72008 USL 1 30 15 7 8 34 28 6 53 1 77 2nd W 3rd DNQ 4 999 nbsp Eduardo Sebrango 54 162009 USL 1 30 11 10 9 42 36 6 42 1 40 7th RU RU 5 312 nbsp Charles Gbeke 55 132010 D2 Pro 30 10 5 15 32 22 10 45 1 50 2nd 5th SF RU 5 152 nbsp Martin Nash 56 5Total 639 330 199 110 1139 759 380 1100 1 72 nbsp 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 editMajor edit Domestic edit Canadian Soccer League Playoff Championship Winners 1988 1989 1990 1991 Runners up 1992 Regular Season Winners 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992Canadian Championship Runners up 2009 2010USL First Division Playoff Championship Winners 2006 2008 Runners up 2009 Commissioner s Cup Winners 1993 Runners up 2008International edit North American Club Championship Winners 1990Minor edit Rivalry Cups Cascadia Cup Winners 2004 2005 2008 Voyageurs Cup USL Runners up 2005 2007Other Nations Cup Winners 2006Head coaches editName Nationality Years RefBob Lenarduzzi nbsp CAN 1987 1993Carl Valentine nbsp ENG 1994 1999Dale Mitchell nbsp CAN 2000 2001Tony Fonseca nbsp POR 2002 2004Bob Lilley nbsp USA 2005 2007Teitur Thordarson nbsp ISL 2008 2010 57 Stadium editSwangard Stadium Burnaby British Columbia 2003 2010 Proposed new stadium edit 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 editMascot edit 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 edit Further information Vancouver Southsiders 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 edit Main articles Portland Timbers Vancouver Whitecaps rivalry and Seattle Sounders Vancouver Whitecaps rivalry 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 edit 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 References edit Whitecaps FC celebrate 35 Years Archived April 27 2009 at the Wayback Machine WFC Super Y Affiliates Archived September 15 2008 at the Wayback Machine a b c d The story of the Vancouver 86ers Vancouver Whitecaps FC September 21 2016 McMahon Martin August 26 2011 Soccer Almanac The ups and downs and ups of Canadian soccer mlssoccer com Retrieved April 29 2014 Cleaves Roger July 19 2014 Seattle Sounders Dispatch The Cascadia Rivalry One of Sports Greatest Pt 1 Last Word on Sports This day in history presented by BMO Vancouver 86ers play first ever match Vancouver Whitecaps FC June 7 2020 2004 Team Induction 1989 Vancouver 86ers BC Sports Hall of Fame Archived from the original on September 28 2011 Retrieved May 12 2013 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint unfit URL link WSA 1988 Season A leaguearchive tripod com Retrieved May 13 2013 MacIntyre Iain September 27 1990 Bays beaten in overtime 3 2 in North American title game Mobilio s goal lifts Vancouver The Baltimore Sun Canadian Soccer History Ottawa Fury SC Archived from the original on February 7 2012 a b c Chapter 2 The 86ers Years Vancouver Whitecaps FC June 3 2010 Yip Brandon October 6 2020 The Vancouver 86ers An Interview with Dale Mitchell The Other Press Stinson Dan April 4 2001 Canadian league pondered The Vancouver Sun p 57 Retrieved October 2 2020 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 Lenarduzzi Bob May 11 2003 Whitecaps return to field Sunday The Chilliwack Progress p 19 Retrieved October 2 2020 Lenarduzzi Bob March 8 2003 What s in a name Lots The Abbotsford News p 14 Retrieved October 2 2020 Montreal wins USL 1 title www uslsoccer com October 17 2009 Archived from the original on May 14 2011 Retrieved January 9 2010 USL outcasts set to launch new league in 2010 Soccerbyives net November 10 2009 Retrieved October 8 2011 Molinaro John F November 10 2009 CBC Sports Whitecaps Impact to form breakaway league Cbc ca Retrieved October 8 2011 US Soccer Federation To Oversee Combined NASL USL League Goal com January 7 2010 Retrieved January 8 2010 Impact Whitecaps join new league Toronto Sun January 7 2010 Retrieved January 8 2010 Whitecaps appoint CEO from EPL club dead link 2010 regular season announced dead link MLS Welcomes News of Soccer s Return to BC Place www socceramerica com Canwest News Service May 16 2008 Retrieved November 1 2023 Latest News MLSsoccer com Web mlsnet com July 21 2011 Archived from the original on February 15 2009 Retrieved October 8 2011 Major League Soccer News Article Web mlsnet com July 21 2011 Retrieved October 8 2011 Caps pursue franchise in MLS Archived July 31 2008 at the Wayback Machine MLS News and Notes The Star Ledger November 21 2008 MLS expansion fee won t scare away Whitecaps The Vancouver Sun November 25 2008 Archived from the original on March 4 2016 MLS bosses tour BC Place The Vancouver Sun December 11 2008 Archived from the original on February 12 2009 Whitecaps to announce they will join MLS in 2011 The Vancouver Sun March 17 2009 Archived from the original on March 22 2009 MLS awards Vancouver team for 2011 Archived July 26 2010 at the Wayback Machine 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 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 a b Benjamin Strack Zimmermann Domenic Mobilio National Football Teams Retrieved January 11 2014 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 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 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 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 Litterer David The Year in American Soccer 1994 American Soccer Archives Archived from the original on May 4 2010 Retrieved March 31 2013 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 Litterer David May 30 2008 The Year 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Retrieved April 3 2013 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 Litterer David The Year in American Soccer 2005 American Soccer Archives Archived from the original on November 5 2015 Retrieved March 31 2013 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 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 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 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 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 Thordarson Given His Big Chance Prost Amerika September 2 2010 Archived from the original on July 15 2011 Retrieved March 13 2011 The Official Supporters Group of The Vancouver Whitecaps USSF D2 Vancouver Southsiders Vancouver Southsiders Retrieved October 8 2011 Steedman Scott September 10 2010 Taking the ball Vancouver Courier Archived from the original on September 16 2010 Retrieved September 20 2010 The Southsiders Official Homepage Archived July 22 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on July 22 2010 External links editOfficial website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vancouver Whitecaps 1986 2010 amp oldid 1199291066, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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