 | |||
| Full name | Vancouver Whitecaps | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | 'Caps | ||
| Short name | Whitecaps | ||
| Founded | 1986; 39 years ago (1986) (asVancouver 86ers)[1] | ||
| Dissolved | 2010; 15 years ago (2010) (MLS 2011) | ||
| Stadium | Swangard Stadium Burnaby,British Columbia | ||
| Capacity | 5,288 | ||
| Owner | Greg Kerfoot | ||
| Head coach | Teitur Thordarson | ||
| League |
| ||
| 2010 | Regular Season: 2nd, NASL Overall: 5th Playoffs: Semifinals | ||
| Website | http://whitecapsfc.com/ | ||
TheVancouver Whitecaps were a Canadian professionalsoccer club based inVancouver,British Columbia. Founded in 1986, the team played its final year in the second tier of theUnited States soccer pyramid in the NASL Conference of theUSSF Division 2 Professional League coached byTeitur Thordarson. The team played its home games atSwangard Stadium in nearbyBurnaby,British Columbia. The team's colours were blue and white.
On March 19, 2009, an ownership group led by principal Greg Kerfoot was granted aMajor League Soccer expansion franchise which began play in 2011 under the nameVancouver Whitecaps FC.
In addition to its men's side the Whitecaps also field awomen's team in theUSL W-League, two developmental teams (Vancouver Whitecaps Residency, in theUSL Premier Development League, and theWhitecaps FC Prospects, in thePacific Coast Soccer League), and four youth teams in the USLSuper 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 theVancouver 86ers of both theCanadian Soccer League,American Professional Soccer League (APSL), and later theA-League. The club later played in two later versions of the second tier A-League known as theUSL-1 andUSSF Division 2 Professional League in North America.
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, theExpo 86 hosted by Vancouver that year, theCanadian national team's firstWorld 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 theCanadian Soccer League (CSL). Led by player/head coach Bob Lenarduzzi and his assistantAlan Errington, the 86ers were triumphant in their inaugural CSL match, as they defeatedEdmonton Brick Men 4–2 in front of 7,646 fans atSwangard Stadium inBurnaby, 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 championsCalgary 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 byBob 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 theWestern Soccer Alliance in the month of May.[8]
In 1990, the Vancouver 86ers captured the North American Club Championship after defeating theMaryland Bays 3–2 in the final played in Burnaby.[9][10] The game was played between the champions of theCanadian Soccer League and the champions of theAmerican Professional Soccer League (APSL).[11] The 86ers however came up short in the first round of the 1992Professional Cup North American Club Championship.[11] Facing APSL championsColorado 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 theA-League, later renamed theUSL.[12]
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 thePacific 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 theUnited Soccer Leagues First Division championship trophy, defeating the hostRochester 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 andChampionship Welsh clubCardiff 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 theLos Angeles Galaxy, which featured internationalDavid Beckham, and promoted Director of Soccer OperationsBob Lenarduzzi to team president.
October 12, 2008, they claimed their second United Soccer Leagues First Division championship with a 2–1 victory over thePuerto 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 theMontreal 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 newNorth American Soccer League, which was to begin play in 2010.[18][19] On January 7, 2010, theUSSF 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 thatPaul Barber, the former executive director ofTottenham 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 theUnited States Soccer Federation Division 2 Professional League.[23]
In May 2008, the Whitecaps announced plans to move toBC 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 theLos 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 iconSteve 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 inNational 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 atEmpire Field, a temporary stadium built at the former site ofEmpire Stadium, and moved intoBC Place Stadium when renovations to the stadium were completed.[31][32]
This is a complete list of seasons for the CSL and USL club. For a season-by-season history including the currentVancouver Whitecaps FC MLS franchise, seeHistory of Vancouver Whitecaps FC. For solely MLS results, seeList 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 CatliffDale 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 HealdJason 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 andPPG have been adjusted from non-traditional to traditional scoring systems for seasons prior to 2003 to more effectively compare historical team performance across seasons.
Rivalry Cups
Other
| 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] |
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 calledWhitecaps Waterfront Stadium. The new stadium was to be built over the railway tracks east ofWaterfront Station on Burrard Inlet.
This 16,000-seat stadium would have replacedSwangard Stadium as the home field for theUSL'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 historicGastown 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 atEmpire Field, and thenBC 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 atBC Place Stadium.
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.
The Whitecaps have an independent supporters group known as theSouthsiders.[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 domesticsoccer.[citation needed]
The group originally called themselves "The Carlsberg Crew," named for thebeer 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]
The Vancouver Whitecaps have two historic rivals, the Pacific NorthwestPortland Timbers andSeattle Sounders. These three teams competed in the yearlyCascadia Cup through 2008. In 2009, the Cup involved only the Whitecaps and Timbers because the Sounders were replaced byan MLS team of the same name.
The Whitecaps also competed on a yearly basis with theMontreal Impact andToronto FC for theVoyageurs Cup orCanadian Championship. The winner of this series advances to theCONCACAF Champions League.
