Earlier this week, Whitecaps FC’s training facility was broken into, resulting in the theft of over 30 pairs of team boots. The story has received some attention, with sites like Canadian Press, MLSSoccer.com, SI.com, and Deadspin.com sharing it with audiences around the globe.
Closer to home, Vancouver has expressed its concern for the team, with the Whitecaps FC front office receiving hundreds of calls from fans expressing their support, offering up their boots, and inquiring about the status of Saturday’s clash against LA Galaxy.
“It’s been amazing, and yes the match is still on,” said club president Bob Lenarduzzi when asked about all of the concerned fans reaching out.
“We’ve had people call in offering up their cleats for Saturday, and others telling us they’ve decided to not wear shoes in support of the team,” Lenarduzzi told whitecapsfc.com. “Even some of the staff here in the office have gone shoeless, the accounting department hasn’t worn shoes all week.”
In an act of sole-idarity, several supporter groups are planning to ditch their kicks for Saturday’s match.
“We think what has happened to the players stinks, so we want to support them during their time of need, it’s our way of going toe-to-toe with the thieves,” said Peter Czimmermann, president of the Vancouver Southsiders supporters group.
Whitecaps FC will be providing a shoe valet service at this weekend’s game, for those fans that want to “put the shoe on the other foot,” as they say, and shoe their arch-support.
Who knows, maybe this match will be remembered as the very first Derby Derby.
