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This is a page on both the current Vancouver soccer club Whitecaps F.C. and the former North American Soccer League franchise, the Vancouver Whitecaps. The Whitecaps (officially Whitecaps F.C.) are a Canadian professional soccer team, which currently plays in the USL First Division (formerly the A-League) of the United Soccer Leagues (USL), the largest system of national soccer leagues in North America. They play at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, British Columbia. The team was originally known as the Vancouver 86ers of both the A-League and, prior to that, the now-defunct Canadian Soccer League (CSL). The Whitecaps colours are white and blue. Honours NASL Vancouver Whitecaps The original Vancouver Whitecaps were founded in 1974 and during the 1970s and 1980s played in the North American Soccer League (NASL). The Whitecaps achieved good success, winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl. The Whitecaps of that era included international players such as Peter Beardsley and Alan Ball, but also "home grown" stars like Bobby and Sam Lenarduzzi, Buzz Parsons, and Glen Johnson. In 1979 the team from the "Village of Vancouver" (a reference to ABC TV sportscaster Jim McKay's observation that "Vancouver must be like the deserted village right now", with so many people watching the game on TV) beat the powerhouse New York Cosmos in one of the most thrilling playoff series in NASL history to advance to the Soccer Bowl. In the Soccer Bowl, they triumphed against the Tampa Bay Rowdies in a disappointed New York City. It was during this short period that soccer interest peaked in Vancouver. The Whitecaps attendance at Empire Stadium grew to regular sellouts, at 32,000. The team also recorded two tracks, with "White is the Colour" becoming a hit on local radio during the run-up to their championship win. After playing at Vancouver's 32,000 seat Empire Stadium for most of their existence, the team moved into the cavernous 60,000 seat BC Place Stadium in 1983. Although the novelty of the stadium drew capacity crowds for the first few games, attendance waned quickly, due to the declining league and, in the opinion of many fans, the harsh environment of the domed stadium. With the subsequent demise of the NASL, in 1984 the Whitecaps, along with many other teams in the NASL, were forced to fold. NASL year-by-year NASL attendance figures Vancouver 86ers In 1986, a professional soccer team was again launched in Vancouver, the Vancouver 86ers -- so named because of both the year of the team's founding and to commemorate the year Vancouver was founded (1886). The 86ers played in the Canadian Soccer League (CSL) winning 4 straight CSL Championships (1988-1991) and the inaugural North American Club Championship (1990) until that league too folded, at which point the team joined the American Professional Soccer League (A-League), later renamed the USL. In 1988–1989, the team, coached by Bob Lenarduzzi, set a North American professional sports record by playing 46 consecutive games without a loss.* Vancouver Whitecaps, again In 2001, the team reverted back to the old Vancouver Whitecaps moniker (signifying both the 'white caps' of the nearby mountains, and the waves of the Pacific Ocean). In 2003 the name was again changed, albeit only slightly, to Whitecaps F.C. which encompasses the men's, women's, and youth development teams within the organization. Year-by-year Rival clubs The Vancouver Whitecaps have two bitter rivals, the southern clubs Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders. These three teams compete in the yearly Cascadia Cup. The Whitecaps also compete on a yearly basis with the Montreal Impact for the Voyageurs Cup, which indicates the top Canadian Club in the USL-1. Farm teams The Whitecaps F.C. have a W-League club called Vancouver Whitecaps Women. This team's biggest star is Christine Sinclair, who at age 22 is already the second-leading career goal scorer for the Canadian national team. She is fresh off a college career in which she was named an All-American four times, won the U.S. player of the year award twice, and lifted a national championship trophy twice. The Whitecaps field reserve teams (for Men and Women) in the Pacific Coast Soccer League. Fans The two biggest supporters' groups are the Southsiders (so named for the south end of the field where they congregate), and the Blue and White Brigade (who congregate in the grandstand), both of whom often chant and sing. The Southsiders are something of a tradition at Swangard Stadium and are easily the most vocal and loyal component of the Whitecaps' support base. New stadium The City of Vancouver is currently considering a proposal for Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium, a new stadium to be built over the railway tracks east of Waterfront Station on Burrard Inlet. This 15,000 seat stadium would replace Swangard Stadium as the home field for the USL's Vancouver Whitecaps, with a proposed opening date in 2009. There is 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 view 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 feel that the stadium will attract new business to the downtown and Gastown areas, particularly since the soccer team tends to attract a family-oriented audience. Current squad | |||||||
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