CLUB HISTORY

On December 11, 1973, then general manager Denny Veitch announced that Vancouver would make a return to the old North American Soccer League (NASL) for the 1974 season. Thus, the Vancouver Whitecaps were born.

Veitch's announcement, which was made on the top floor of a Davie Street hotel in downtown Vancouver, saw the return of professional soccer to the city after a two-year spell in late 1960's. In 1967, former Scotland manager Ian McColl was in charge of the Vancouver Royal Canadians in the United Soccer Association before the re-named Vancouver Royals took part in the NASL's inaugural season in 1968 after the United Soccer Association had merged with the National Professional Soccer League. The Royals were led that year by two legends of the game in former Hungary and Real Madrid star Ferenc Puskas and former England manager Sir Bobby Robson.

With the team name symbolizing the snow-capped mountains and the white crests of the waves along Vancouver's shoreline, the Whitecaps started life in the NASL by playing in colours of red and white. As one of four clubs to play in the Western Division, the Whitecaps played their first-ever match on May 5, 1974, when they fell to a 2-1 home defeat to San Jose Earthquakes. Though an Empire Stadium crowd of 17,343 saw Jim Easton's side lose that day, defender Neil Ellett wrote his name in the history books by scoring the Whitecaps first-ever goal in the league.

Having missed the playoffs in 1974 and 1975, German coach Eckhard Krautzun replaced Easton for the 1976 campaign. In a side that included three-time 'World Superstars' champion Brian Budd, the Whitecaps finished third in the Western Division of the NASL's Pacific Conference and made the postseason for the first time in club history. Their playoff appearance ended as soon as it began, as Vancouver lost 1-0 at Seattle Sounders on August 18, 1976. Seattle would repeat that playoff result the following year, with the Whitecaps experiencing two coaching changes in 1977. Krautzun was replaced by defender and future Canadian national team head coach Holger Osieck before Englishman Tony Waiters took charge of the side before the season's end.

Come the 1978 season, the Whitecaps had grown to become the city’s top sports franchise, with Waiters leading the club to a first-place finish in the Western Division after a 13-match winning streak to end the regular season schedule. Their first-ever NASL playoff win came on August 9, 1978, with a 4-0 victory over Canadian rivals Toronto Metros-Croatia, while defender Bob Lenarduzzi was named North American Player of the Year. Though they lost their National Conference semifinal series to Portland Timbers, Vancouver soccer fans would be rewarded with success the following season.

1979 brought a change to the Whitecaps logo and colours, as the team dawned Blue and White for the first time that season. They also became Vancouver's first professional sports team to win a major North American championship when they won the NASL Soccer Bowl title with a 2-1 victory over Tampa Bay Rowdies at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on September 8, 1979. A squad that included the likes of Alan Ball, John Craven, Kevin Hector, Willie Johnston, Phil Parkes, and Trevor Whymark, the Whitecaps finished top of the Western Division standings before embarking on a memorable playoff run to the league title. After defeating Dallas Tornado in the National Conference quarterfinals, Waiters' side faced Los Angeles Aztecs in the conference semifinals. A goal from Hector in the decisive mini-game at Empire Stadium took the Whitecaps to the conference championship and a thrilling series versus a star-studded New York Cosmos side. After winning the first match in Vancouver 2-0, the return game saw the Cosmos win 3-2 at Giants Stadium to force a mini-game and an eventual shoot-out. Much to the disbelief of 44,109 Cosmos fans, Derek Possee scored the winning goal in the shoot-out to send the Whitecaps to the final.

Led to the championship by Whymark's two goals in the final versus Tampa Bay, the Whitecaps returned home to the largest reception in British Columbia history. As many as 100,000 people lined Vancouver's Robson Street to salute their heroes during a championship parade on September 9, 1979, with Carl Valentine famously announcing to supporters - "You are the number one fans, and we are the number one team!"

The Whitecaps were unable to defend their title in 1980, however, with Waiters returning to the role of head coach after initially making way for fellow Englishman Bob McNab. Their first-round playoff defeat to Seattle was unfortunately repeated in the 1981 season, as Tampa Bay eliminated a Whitecaps side that were led by former Leeds United and Republic of Ireland star Johnny Giles. It was a disappointing outcome, considering Vancouver's first-place finish in the Northwest Division standings that year. In 1982, the San Diego Sockers ended the Whitecaps season after winning two of three matches in their first-round playoff series.

Hopes were high for a second NASL title in 1983, as Vancouver played host to the Soccer Bowl championship match at the newly-built BC Place Stadium. In fact, the Whitecaps 2-1 victory over Seattle on June 20, 1983, was the first sporting event to be played in BC Place. A sold-out crowd of 60,342 saw a young Peter Beardsley score Vancouver's two goals that day. Though the Whitecaps finished top of the Western Division standings, another first-round playoff exit followed - this time to Toronto Blizzard. In fact, Vancouver's Canadian rivals reached the Soccer Bowl final at BC Place, but it was Tulsa Roughnecks that won the last-ever single-match NASL championship with a 2-0 victory on October 1, 1983.

The 1984 season proved to be the last year of existence for the NASL, with the Whitecaps one of nine remaining clubs in the league that year. Former Whitecaps player Alan Hinton replaced Giles as head coach and led the team to a second-place finish in the Western Division. Vancouver's season, and even their existence as an NASL club, ended after a playoff semifinal series exit to eventual champions Chicago Sting. Their last home match was a 3-1 defeat to the Sting at BC Place on September 23, 1984. The club's final NASL game came five days later, as the Whitecaps lost 4-3 in Chicago. Instability throughout the NASL meant the league had to suspend operations by the end of the season, and as a result, the Whitecaps folded that same year.

Despite the NASL's demise, Canada's men's national team achieved great success when they qualified for the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. In an effort to build on that achievement, professional soccer was resurrected in Canada with the formation of the Canadian Soccer League (CSL). The dawn of the CSL also brought about the rebirth of the professional game in Vancouver, as the 86ers were launched after the West Coast Soccer Society were granted a CSL franchise on July 26, 1986. Named after the year of Vancouver's incorporation as a city (1886) and the year of the club's founding (1986), the 86ers took to the field for the CSL's first-ever season in 1987. 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. 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.

A year later, under new owner Milan Ilich, the 86ers established themselves as a CSL powerhouse when they won the first of four-straight league championship titles. On September 25, 1988, Lenarduzzi formally hung up his boots as a player after leading his side to a 4-1 victory over Hamilton Steelers in front of a Swangard crowd of 6,443. Hamilton were the 86ers opponents again in the CSL Mita Cup final on October 1, 1989, with Lenarduzzi's squad delighting a huge Swangard crowd of 7,942 with a 3-2 victory over the Steelers. The club also set a North American professional sports record by playing 46 consecutive matches without defeat (37 wins and nine draws) between June 5, 1988, and August 8, 1989. Those efforts were honoured in 2004, as the 86ers squad of 1989 were inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.

1990 brought North American success to the 86ers. As CSL champions, Vancouver took on American Professional Soccer League (APSL) champions Maryland Bays for the 'Pepsi Cup' North American Club Championship match at Swangard on September 26, 1990. The 86ers won the title after a 3-2 extra-time victory, with the club's all-time leading goalscorer Domenic Mobilio scoring the match winner in the 117th minute. The 86ers then made it three CSL championship wins at home versus Hamilton on October 8, 1990, with Vancouver hammering the Steelers 6-1 in front of 6,348 fans at Swangard. Vancouver's fourth and final Mita Cup championship came on October 6, 1991, when the 86ers defeated Toronto Blizzard 5-3 at Swangard.

The CSL's last season of existence came in 1992, and unfortunately for 86ers fans, a fifth-straight title would elude their side. Despite finishing top of the regular season standings, Winnipeg Fury upset Vancouver in the two-game final series to win the final CSL championship before the league folded later that year. The 86ers also came up short in the first round of the 1992 'Professional Cup' North American Club Championship. 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.

With the CSL at an end, the 86ers entered a new era when they became members of the APSL for the 1993 season. Fellow CSL club Toronto Blizzard and the newly formed Montreal Impact also joined the league that same year. With a new look, logo, and colours (red, black, and white), the 86ers finished top of the APSL regular season standings before their season was abruptly ended in the playoff semifinals, as Los Angeles Salsa won 3-2 in a shootout at Swangard. The match was also Lenarduzzi's last as 86ers head coach, as he turned his sole focus to his other role as head coach of the Canadian men’s national team after being appointed to that position in the spring of 1992.

Former Whitecaps, 86ers, and Canadian international Carl Valentine succeeded Lenarduzzi as head coach. After missing the playoffs in his first season in charge in 1994, Valentine led the 86ers to the postseason in 1995, where they lost to Seattle Sounders in the semifinals. Midfielder Giuliano Oliviero earned APSL Rookie of the Year honours that season. The 86ers missed the playoffs again in 1996, but their fortunes changed in 1997 after the APSL was re-named the A-League and was expanded from seven clubs to 24. There was also a change in ownership when Milan Ilich handed over the club to BC Lions owner David Braley. Though they finished fourth in the Western Conference, Pacific Division standings, Valentine's side reached the playoff semifinals before losing to eventual champions Milwaukee Rampage. The fall of 1997 also saw the return of Lenarduzzi to the club as general manager after his spell as Canadian national team head coach had come to an end.

Valentine's final two years in charge ended in similar fashion, as the 86ers saw both their 1998 and 1999 A-League seasons end with first-round playoff exits. One notable bright spot in 1999 was Niall Thompson's two league honours after he scored 20 goals and recorded 47 points that season.

The turn of the millennium saw former Whitecaps, 86ers, and Canadian national team striker Dale Mitchell named as the club's third head coach. He led the 86ers to the Western Conference playoff semifinals before falling 4-3 on aggregate to Minnesota Thunder. The year 2000 was significant for events off the pitch as well, with Braley selling the club to local businessman David Stadnyk in August of that year. Then on October 26, 2000, after widespread public support, the 86ers formally changed their name back to the Whitecaps after Stadnyk purchased the naming rights from former NASL Whitecaps director John Laxton

With a new logo and new-look Blue and White jerseys that were designed as a tribute to the 1979 NASL championship side, Mitchell earned A-League Coach of the Year honours in 2001 after leading the Whitecaps to a first-place finish in the Western Conference standings. Unfortunately, their season ended when Hershey Wildcats defeated Vancouver in the playoff semifinals.

2001 also saw the birth of the club's new entry on the local soccer scene, as the Vancouver Breakers women's team were formed following a merger of the Vancouver Angels and Vancouver Lady 86ers teams. Playing in the top division of the W-League (W1), the Breakers finished top of the Western Conference before suffering heartbreak in the championship final when they lost 5-1 to Boston Renegades.

2002 proved to be an eventful year for the club. Former Portuguese international Tony Fonseca became Whitecaps head coach on February 13, 2002, after Mitchell moved on to become head coach of Canada's U-20 men's national team. Fonseca led the Whitecaps to the Western Conference playoff final before losing to eventual champions Milwaukee. It was also in 2002 that the Breakers women hosted the W-League championship tournament, with Vancouver finishing third after defeating Denver Lady Cougars in the third-place match.

Of more concern to Vancouver soccer fans was Stadnyk's decision to step down from his ownership of the club midway through the 2002 campaign. He handed over the club’s rights to the league, who in turn, appointed Lenarduzzi as head of a search committee to find a new owner. Their search led to local businessman and current owner Greg Kerfoot taking ownership of the Whitecaps on November 13, 2002. On February 24, 2003, the Whitecaps men and Breakers women were brought under a new club structure called Whitecaps Football Club (FC), with the set-up to include an extensive youth development program. 2003 also saw both Whitecaps teams' seasons come to an end in the first round of the playoffs, as the Seattle Sounders men's and women's teams triumphed over their Pacific Northwest rivals.

Yet, it would not take long for success to bloom under the ownership and vision of Kerfoot. After announcing plans to build the Whitecaps Training Centre on the campus of Simon Fraser University on April 14, 2004, the Whitecaps women - who were led by head coach Chris Bennett - won their first W-League North American championship title with a penalty shootout victory over New Jersey Wildcats in Ottawa, Ontario. Fonseca's men, meanwhile, reached the Western Conference playoff final that season before falling 2-1 on aggregate to Seattle. Whitecaps Youth, however, sent five teams to the Super Y-League North American finals in 2004, with the U-13 Boys winning the championship title.

2005 brought more change. The A-League was re-named the United Soccer Leagues First Division (USL-1), while the Whitecaps replaced Fonseca with American Bob Lilley as men's team head coach. The former Hershey Wildcats and Montreal Impact tactician led the Whitecaps to a third-place finish in the USL-1 standings before Richmond Kickers eliminated Vancouver on penalties in the first round of the playoffs. The men's season did include a notable friendly result, as the Whitecaps defeated English Premier League club Sunderland 3-0 at Swangard on July 16, 2005. Striker Jason Jordan also had a season to remember, as he was named the league's Most Valuable Player after leading USL-1 in goals (17) and points (37). The Whitecaps women, meanwhile, took third place at the W-League championship tournament after a 3-1 win over Central Florida Krush. On October 13, 2005, the club announced plans for a proposed soccer-specific stadium to be built on downtown Vancouver's central waterfront and rail lands.

A memorable year ensued for Whitecaps fans in 2006, as both the men's and women's teams claimed an unprecedented double of USL titles. Despite a fourth-place finish in the USL-1 standings, Lilley's side defeated Miami FC and Canadian rivals Montreal Impact to reach the championship final away to Rochester Raging Rhinos. On September 30, 2006, the Whitecaps won their first league title since the 1991 CSL championship with a 3-0 victory in Upstate New York. Earlier in the summer, the men's side defeated English League Championship club Cardiff City on penalties to win the inaugural Whitecaps Nations Cup tournament. Meanwhile, under the guidance of head coach Bob Birarda, the undefeated Whitecaps women claimed their second W-League championship title in three seasons with a 3-0 win over Ottawa Fury in the final at Swangard on August 6, 2006.

2007 saw Swangard play host to seven matches in the FIFA U-20 World Cup, with sell-out crowds of 10,000 taking in each of those games during the month of July. The Whitecaps seasons, however, proved not as eventful. The women missed the W-League playoffs for the first time in the team history, while Lilley's tenure as men's team head coach ended following a disappointing campaign that saw the Whitecaps finish seventh in the USL-1 standings and fall 3-1 on aggregate to Pacific Northwest rivals Portland Timbers in the playoff quarterfinals.

On a more positive note, it was in September 2007 that the Whitecaps Residency program formally began under the guidance of managing director Thomas Niendorf. As North America's only full-time professional development set-up, the inaugural 18-player squad included several top Canadian youngsters, as well as Jamaican youth international Dever Orgill. The club's exposure was raised again on November 7, 2007, as the Whitecaps men played David Beckham and Major League Soccer (MLS) club Los Angeles Galaxy to a 0-0 draw in front of 48,172 fans at BC Place.

On December 11, 2007, Icelandic coach Teitur Thordarson became the 13th men's team head coach since the club's first season in the NASL back in 1974. Though 2008 was his first season in North America, the former Iceland international striker had a memorable campaign, as he led the Whitecaps to their second USL-1 championship title in three seasons. Earlier in the season, the Whitecaps surprised many with their 2-1 friendly win over David Beckham and MLS club Los Angeles Galaxy at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium on May 13, 2008. The men's team built on that friendly result to finish a point behind regular season champions Puerto Rico Islanders before embarking on another memorable playoff run. They defeated Minnesota and Montreal on route to the Whitecaps first championship final at Swangard since the 1992 CSL season. In what was the first-ever USL-1 championship match to involve two clubs from outside of the United States, the Whitecaps defeated Puerto Rico 2-1 in front of 5,822 fans on October 12, 2008.

2008 was also an important year in Canadian club soccer, as the Whitecaps faced Montreal and MLS side Toronto FC in the inaugural edition of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship. Though back-to-back 2-0 defeats to the Impact hurt their chances of winning the Voyageurs Cup that year, Thordarson's side famously handed Toronto FC their first home defeat of the season with a 1-0 victory at BMO Field on Canada Day (July 1, 2008). Eight days later, the Whitecaps completed their campaign with a late 2-2 draw versus TFC at Swangard. Montreal went on to win the inaugural tournament and represent Canada in the first edition of the CONCACAF Champions League.

The Whitecaps women, meanwhile, returned to the postseason after a year's absence, but ended up losing the Western Conference playoff final 1-0 to Seattle at Swangard on July 26, 2008. The match was also Birarda's last in charge of the women's team, as he parted company with the club on October 9, 2008. It was also in 2008 that the Whitecaps Residency squad reached the Premier Development League (PDL) semifinals in their inaugural season in the league before losing 2-1 to eventual champions Thunder Bay Chill. On November 25, 2008, Whitecaps and BC Soccer affiliate club Mountain WFC celebrated a Super Y-League North American championship when their U-16 Boys defeated New Jersey's TSF Academy 2-0 in the final in Tampa, Florida.

On October 15, 2008, the Whitecaps submitted a bid to secure one of two MLS expansion teams for the 2011 season, having initially announced their bidding plans at a press conference in Vancouver on July 25, 2008. On March 18, 2009, MLS commissioner Don Garber announced that Vancouver would be the home of the 17th team in MLS, with the new side to start their inaugural season at a temporary stadium on the site of the Pacific National Exhibition's Empire Fields (formerly Empire Stadium) in March 2011. Later that summer, the new team will make a renovated BC Place their new home.

With spirits high in the club following the MLS announcement, the 2009 season went down as one of the most eventful campaigns in club history. Thordarson re-shaped his squad by making several changes to his men's team roster, which included the departure of long-time servants Jeff Clarke, Jason Jordan, Steve Kindel, and Alfredo Valente. The side also began its preparations for their USL-1 championship title defence early, with training camp starting on January 21, 2009. In early March, the 'Caps embarked on their first-ever visit to the continent of Africa, as they took part in a three-match preseason trip to the United Republic of Tanzania.

Thordarson's young squad endured a challenging season in USL-1, with the side claiming the final playoff berth in the league standings after a seventh-place finish. Yet, true to their folklore as a successful playoff side, the 'Caps upset the formbook by defeating second-seeded Carolina RailHawks in the first round, then USL-1 regular season champions Portland Timbers in the semifinals. Their title defence, however, ended in disappointment after Canadian arch-rivals Montreal Impact won both legs of the USL-1 Championship Series in October 2009. Defeat to the Impact followed similar disappointment in the second edition of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship. Despite finishing level on points with Major League Soccer club Toronto FC in the three-club competition, TFC won the title and Canada's lone spot in 2009-10 CONCACAF Champions League on goal difference - much in thanks to a stunning 6-1 victory at Montreal in the tournament's final match on June 18, 2009. At the end of the season, defender Geordie Lyall announced his retirement from professional soccer after 11 straight seasons with the club, while Todd Wawrousek moved on after three years as men's team assistant coach before taking up a similar role at Crystal Palace Baltimore.

Though many unique experiences took place during the year, the men's team's season included several bright moments. Marcus Haber was the first Whitecaps player to be named USL-1 Rookie of the Year since Giuliano Oliviero back in 1995, while fellow striker Charles Gbeke finished as the league's top scorer with 12 goals during the regular season. Another rookie in Wes Knight shared the league lead in assists with eight, while Jay Nolly became the first Whitecaps goalkeeper since Arnie Mausser in 1977 to appear in every minute of action in a single season, having played in all 40 matches for a total of 3,600 minutes. Other notable moments include Dever Orgill becoming the first player from the Residency program to score a men's team goal on May 16, 2009, and the club setting a new record of 13 sold-out matches at Swangard Stadium. The total surpassed the previous mark of 10 sold-out games back in the 1987 season.

The Whitecaps women were under new guidance, as Alan Koch became the fifth women's team head coach on April 20, 2009. The South African-born tactician then endured a tough first year in charge of the 'Caps, as they missed the playoffs for only the second time in club history after a fifth-place finish in the W-League Western Conference standings. The Residency team also experienced a tough second season in the PDL, as they too missed the postseason after a sixth-place finish in an improved Western Conference, Northwest Division. Yet, 2009 turned out to be a fine year for the Whitecaps Prospects Women's team. After finishing second in the Pacific Coast Soccer League (PCSL) Premier Division, Jesse Symons' side won the PCSL's Dave Fryatt Challenge Cup with a 4-2 win over regular season champions Fraser Valley Action in Kelowna, BC, on July 26, 2009. Then as 'Team BC', the Prospects Women claimed British Columbia's fourth gold medal in women's soccer at the 2009 Canada Games in Prince Edward Island. In November 2009, two Whitecaps and BC Soccer 'Professional Development Partner' teams claimed Super Y-League North American championship titles. The U-16 Girls and U-16 Boys teams of Coastal WFC earned the club's first-ever North American titles with penalty shootout victories in Tampa, Florida.

On November 10, 2009, the Whitecaps brought an end to their time in USL-1 after 16 seasons in the league. As a member of the Team Owners Association (TOA), the Whitecaps joined former USL-1 clubs Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina RailHawks, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, and Montreal Impact, as well as former USL Second Division outfit Crystal Palace Baltimore, and expansion sides Athletic Club of St. Louis and FC Tampa Bay Rowdies in forming a new second-tier professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. As a tribute to the original NASL that existed between 1968 to 1984, the new league was formally named 'North American Soccer League' on November 23, 2009. Seven days later, former USL-1 club Rochester Rhinos also became a member of the new NASL, while Canada earned a fourth professional team on February 9, 2010, when FC Edmonton announced they would join the NASL in 2011.

There was also change with the women's team, as former Jamaican international goalkeeper Hubert Busby Jr. succeeded Koch as the club's sixth head coach on December 14, 2009. As part of the club's long-term plan for women's player development, Busby and assistant coach Symons not only took charge of the Whitecaps W-League side, but also the club's U-18 Prospects Girls team from the 2010 season.

Meanwhile, the NASL's efforts to earn sanctioning as a Division II professional league in the U.S. - and therefore Canada - for the 2010 season, suffered a setback on December 30, 2009, as the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) voted unanimously to reject the applications of both the NASL and USL. The decision resulted in both the NASL and USL joining the USSF in forming and operating a 'Division 2' professional soccer league called 'USSF D-2 Pro League' for the 2010 season on January 7. The one-year agreement saw the USSF oversee all league matters during the 2010 campaign, with American soccer's governing body working with USL and NASL on day-to-day league activities.

It was also in 2010 that the Whitecaps laid down their foundations for Vancouver MLS 2011. On January 19, former D.C. United head coach Tom Soehn joined the club as director of soccer operations, while former Canadian men's national team captain Colin Miller succeeded Todd Wawrousek as men's team assistant coach on February 11. On March 1, former Tottenham Hotspur executive director Paul Barber took charge as the Whitecaps chief executive officer after being announced to the role on November 24, 2009.