History of Vancouver Whitecaps FC

The history of Vancouver Whitecaps FC, a professional soccer team based in Vancouver, Canada, spans over four decades. The first team to use the "Whitecaps" name was the Vancouver Whitecaps of the now-defunct North American Soccer League, playing from 1974 to 1984. After two years while the core of the players were focused on preparations for the 1986 World Cup, a second version of the club was founded in 1986 as the Vancouver 86ers. This team bought back the Whitecaps name in 2000 and has operated continuously in various leagues since 1986. A Whitecaps FC team began play in Major League Soccer starting in 2011 making it the first time since 1984 that a "Whitecaps" team played in the top tier of soccer in the United States and Canada.

NASL (1974–84)

The original Vancouver Whitecaps were founded on December 11, 1973 and during the 1970s and 1980s played in the North American Soccer League (NASL). The founding investors in the club were: Herb Capozzi, president; Denny Veitch, general manager; C. N. "Chunky" Woodward owner of Woodwards Department Stores; Chuck Wills, lawyer; Wendy McDonald, president of B.C. Bearing Engineers; Pat McCleary and Harry Moll, proprietors of Charlie Brown Steak House.^[1]

The Whitecaps achieved success, winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl coached by Tony Waiters. The Whitecaps of that era included international players such as 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 brand new 60,000-seat BC Place Stadium in 1983. The Whitecaps set a then highest all-time Canadian attendance record of 60,342 spectators for a professional soccer game, on June 20, 1983, Vancouver Whitecaps FC – Seattle Sounders at BC Place.^[2] However, the subsequent demise of the NASL in 1984 meant the Whitecaps – along with the other teams in the NASL – were forced to fold.

CSL (1985–92)

Several of the players from the NASL Vancouver Whitecaps were members of the Canadian Men's National Team preparing for the 1986 World Cup in training camps held in Vancouver. They played exhibition games against teams in the Western Soccer Alliance Challenge Series in 1985. Several are listed on the 1986 FIFA World Cup squads lists as playing for the MISL's Tacoma Stars for the indoor season and played with the Canadian National Men's Team for the outdoor summer season.

The Vancouver 86ers Soccer Club started operations in November 1985 by the community-owned West Coast Soccer Society. Tony Waiters, Les Wilson and Dave Fryatt were the first franchise holders granted the rights for Vancouver on July 26, 1986.^[3] The Vancouver 86ers were so named because of the year of the team's founding-1986, the 86 principals underwriting the club, and to commemorate the year the city of Vancouver was founded (1886). There were a lot of ties between the Whitecaps and the 86ers such as Tony Waiters (shareholder), Buzz Parsons (manager 1987–88), Bob Lenarduzzi (coach 1987–1993), Carl Valentine, Jim Easton, David Norman (soccer), Dale Mitchell (soccer), and other players. In newspaper reports the Whitecaps were often referred to as the previous version of the CSL's Vancouver 86ers. Several attempts were made to purchase the Whitecaps name; however, the name was not for sale or the owner wanted too much money for the cash strapped community-owned club.^[4]

The Vancouver 86ers played its first game in 1987 in the Canadian Soccer League against Edmonton. The 86ers played in the Canadian Soccer League (CSL) winning four straight CSL Championships (1988–1991) and five consecutive CSL regular-season first-place finishes (1988–92). 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-1.

In 1988–1989, the team, coached by Bob Lenarduzzi, set a North American professional sports record by playing 46 consecutive games without a loss. The record began after the June 1988 match the 86ers lost 3–1 away to the North York Rockets. Vancouver then won 37 matches and tied nine others before falling 2–1 away to the Edmonton Brickmen in August 1989. In 2004 the BC Sports Hall of Fame inducted the 1989 soccer team.^[5] Also in 1988 the Vancouver 86ers and Calgary Kickers played six friendly matches each against the Western Soccer Alliance in the month of May.^[6]

In 1990, the Vancouver 86ers captured the North American Club Championship after defeating the Maryland Bays 3–2 in the final played in Burnaby. The game was played between the champions of the Canadian Soccer League and the champions of the American Professional Soccer League (APSL).^[7] The Vancouver 86ers withdrew from the 1992 CONCACAF Champions' Cup prior to the opening Group 2 first round match due to financial constraints. The 86ers also came up short in the first round of the 1992 ‘Professional Cup’ North American Club Championship where they faced APSL champions Colorado Foxes over two legs.

APSL / A-League / USL-1 (1993–2010)

In 1999 Vancouver's player-coach who was one of North American soccer's last active participants in the NASL, Carl Valentine, retired.^[8]

With whole hearted support from the fans the new owner, David Stadnyk, bought the name Whitecaps from former NASL Whitecaps director John Laxton. October 26, 2000 the Vancouver 86ers formally changed their name back to the Whitecaps.^[9]

In the 2001 season, the team began to use the old Vancouver Whitecaps moniker. The club adopted a similar crest to that of the NASL team featuring a wave. A white cap is a nautical term for a wind wave, not a surf wave. White caps are indicative of Force 4/5 wind and a 4–6 foot (1.2–1.5m) wave height. For smaller boat craft, the appearance of white caps are a sign of rising wind and danger often necessitating a return to harbour.^[10][11][12] With the re-branding process of the MLS franchise, the club crest was expanded to include the white caps of snow-covered mountains and include all of the province of BC.^[13]

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. 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 USL-1 championship trophy, defeating the host Rochester Rhinos 3–0 at PAETEC Park, and winning the W-League women's championship. 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"). They also 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. USL-1 teams, especially those in the US competing in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, were beginning to see with marketing that MLS teams could be a larger draw as MLS's quality of play increased and the league gained a greater profile.

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.^[14]

MLS (2011–)

The Vancouver franchise was granted status on March 18, 2009 by MLS Commissioner Don Garber as the seventeenth franchise of Major League Soccer.^[15] It is to join the Portland Timbers, announced two days later as the eighteenth MLS franchise, for the 2011 MLS season. While no name was provided at the Vancouver announcement, over a year later the club confirmed that the MLS team would keep the Whitecaps name.^{[16][17][18][19]}

In preparation for its inaugural season, the Whitecaps brought in executive talent from around the world. On November 24, 2009, Paul Barber, former Tottenham Hotspur F.C. executive, was announced to join the club as CEO. Others joining him include former D.C. United head coach Tom Soehn as Director of Operations and Dutch national Richard Grootscholten as the technical director and head coach of the residency program. Former Iceland international Teitur Thordarson was confirmed as head coach on September 2, 2010 for the inaugural MLS season.^[20] He held the same position with the USL-1 and later USSF Division 2 Whitecaps.

Season-by-Season results

• Note: Click on the year for the Whitecaps NASL season wiki.
• Note: Click on League for the league's season wiki.

Season	Regular Season										Playoffs	Canadian Championship	Cascadia Cup	CONCACAF	Top goalscorer[21]
	League	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts	Att	Pos					Name	Goals
1974	NASL	20	5	4	11	29	30	70	10,979	4th; West 11th; Overall	DNQ			N / A	Brian Gant[22]	6
1975	NASL	22	11	0	11	38	28	99	7,579	4th; West 9th; Overall	DNQ			N / A	Glen Johnson[23]	8
1976	NASL	24	14	0	10	38	30	120	8,655	3rd; Pacific 10th; Overall	Play-In Round Seattle 1–0 Vancouver			N / A	Tommy Ord Billy Woof Tony McAndrew[24]	5
1977	NASL	26	14	0	12	43	36	124	11,897	2nd; Pacific 6th; Overall	Play-In Round Seattle 1–0 Vancouver			N / A	Derek Possee [25]	11
1978	NASL	30	24	0	6	68	29	199	15,736	1st; National West 2nd; Overall	Quarterfinals Portland def Vancouver 2–0 (games)			N / A	Kevin Hector [26]	21
1979	NASL	30	20	0	10	54	34	172	22,962	1st; National West 4th; Overall	Champion Vancouver 2–1 Tampa Bay			N / A	Kevin Hector [27]	15
1980	NASL	32	16	0	16	52	47	139	26,834	3rd; National West 15th; Overall	Round of 16 Seattle def Vancouver 2–0 (games)			N / A	Trevor Whymark [28]	15
1981	NASL	32	21	0	11	74	43	186	23,236	1st; Northwest 3rd; Overall	Round of 16 Tampa Bay def Vancouver 2–0 (games)			N / A	Carl Valentine [29]	10
1982	NASL	32	20	0	12	58	48	160	18,254	3rd; West 5th; Overall	Quarterfinals San Diego def Vancouver 2–1 (games)			N / A	Ray Hankin [30]	11
1983	NASL	30	24	0	6	63	34	187	29,166	1st; West 2nd; Overall	Quarterfinals Toronto def Vancouver 2–1 (games)			N / A	David Cross [31]	19
1984	NASL	24	13	0	11	51	48	117	15,190	2nd; West 4th; Overall	Semifinals Chicago def Vancouver 2–1 (games)			N / A	Peter Ward[32]	16
1985
1986
1987	CSL	20	9	3	8	37	27	21	5,993	2nd; West 4th; Overall	Semifinals Calgary 4–3 Vancouver				Domenic Mobilio [33]	12
1988	CSL	28	21	6	1	84	30	48	4,919	1st; West 1st; Overall	Champion Vancouver 4–1 Hamilton				John Catliff [34] Domenic Mobilio[35]	22
1989	CSL	26	18	6	2	65	33	42	4,572	1st; West 1st; Overall	Champion Vancouver 3–2 Hamilton				Domenic Mobilio[35]	12
1990	CSL	26	17	3	6	69	26	40	4,218	1st; West 1st; Overall	Champion Vancouver 6–1 Hamilton				John Catliff [7]	19
1991	CSL	28	20	4	4	69	31	64	4,579	1st; Single Table	Champion Vancouver 5–3 Toronto			1st Round	Domenic Mobilio [36]	26
1992	CSL	20	11	3	6	42	28	36	4,344	1st; Single Table	Runner-Up Winnipeg 3–1 Vancouver(Agg)				John Catliff Dale Mitchell[37]	6
1993	APSL	24	15	0	9	43	35	126	4,853	1st; Single Table	Semifinals Los Angeles 2–2 Vancouver (PK)			N / A	Domenic Mobilio [38]	11
1994	APSL	20	7	0	13	25	41	65	4,742	6th; Single Table	DNQ			N / A	Domenic Mobilio [39]	7
1995	A-League	24	10	3	11	43	43	33	4,493	3rd; Single Table	Semifinals Seattle def Vancouver 2–0 (games)			N / A	Giuliano Oliviero [40]	9
1996	A-League	24	10	3	14	38	38	33	4,068	5th; Single Table	DNQ			N / A	Domenic Mobilio [41]	14
1997	A-League	24	10	3	14	38	38	33	3,558	3rd; Pacific 6th; Overall	Semifinals Milwaukee def Vancouver 2–1 PK (games)			N / A	Domenic Mobilio [42]	22
1998	A-League	28	13	3	15	55	42	41	4,185	4th; Pacific 15th; Overall	Round of 16 Seattle 2–1 Vancouver			N / A	Jason Jordan [43]	8
1999	A-League	28	19	4	9	77	31	84	4,559	2nd; Pacific 3rd; Overall	Round of 16 US Pro 40 3–1 Vancouver			N / A	Niall Thompson [44]	20
2000	A-League	28	14	3	11	62	41	70	3,959	3rd; Pacific 9th; Overall	Quarterfinals Minnesota 4–3 Vancouver (Agg via OT)			N / A	Darren Tilley [45]	12
2001	A-League	26	16	2	8	44	33	74	5,542	1st; Western 4th; Overall	Semi-finals Hershey 4–1 Vancouver (Agg)			N / A	Jason Jordan [46]	9
2002	A-League	28	11	5	12	41	39	54	3,769	4th; Pacific 11th; Overall	Semi-finals Milwaukee 2–1 Vancouver (Agg via OT)			N / A	Jason Jordan [47]	9
2003	A-League	28	15	7	6	45	24	52	4,292	2nd; Pacific 5th; Overall	Quarterfinals Seattle 1–1 Vancouver (Agg via 6–5 in PKs)			N / A	Oliver Heald Jason Jordan[48]	9
2004	A-League	28	14	5	9	38	29	47	4,833	2nd; Western 6th; Overall	Semi-finals Seattle 2–1 Vancouver (Agg)		Winner	N / A	Jason Jordan [49]	7
2005	USL-1	28	12	9	7	37	21	45	5,086	3rd; Single Table	Play-In Round Richmond 0–0 Vancouver (Agg 5–4 in PKs)		Winner	N / A	Jason Jordan [50]	17
2006	USL-1	28	12	10	6	40	28	46	5,085	4th; Single Table	Champion Vancouver 3–0 Rochester		Runner-Up	N / A	Joey Gjertsen [51]	12
2007	USL-1	28	9	12	7	27	24	39	5,162	7th; Single Table	Quarterfinals Portland 3–1 Vancouver (Agg)		Runner-Up	N / A	Eduardo Sebrango-Rodriguez [52]	7
2008	USL-1	30	15	8	7	34	28	53	4,999	2nd; Single Table	Champion Vancouver 2–1 Portland	3rd	Winner	DNQ	Eduardo Sebrango-Rodriguez [53]	16
2009	USL-1	30	11	9	10	42	36	42	5,312	7th; Single Table	Runner-Up Montreal 6–3 Vancouver (Agg)	Runners-up	Runner-Up	DNQ	Charles Gbeke [54]	13
2010	USSF D2	30	10	15	5	32	22	45	5,152	2nd; NASL 5th; Overall	Semifinals Puerto Rico 2–0 Vancouver (Agg)	Runners-up	Runner-Up	DNQ	Martin Nash [55]	5
2011	MLS	34	6	10	18	35	55	28	20,412	9th; West 18th; Overall	DNQ	Runners-up	3rd	DNQ	Camilo Sanvezzo [56]	13
2012	MLS	34	11	13	10	35	41	43	18,998	5th; West 11th; Overall	Play-In Round Los Angeles 2–1 Vancouver	Runners-up	3rd	DNQ	Darren Mattocks	9
2013	MLS	34	13	12	9	53	45	48	20,059	7th; West 14th; Overall	DNQ	Runners-up	Winner	DNQ	Camilo Sanvezzo	25
2014	MLS	34	12	8	14	42	40	50	20,623	5th; West 9th; Overall	Play-In Round FC Dallas 2–1 Vancouver Whitecaps	Semi-Finals	Winner	Group Stage*	Pedro Morales	9
2015	MLS	34	16	5	13	45	36	53	20,507	2nd; West 3rd; Overall	Quarterfinals Portland 2-0 Vancouver (Agg)	Champion	Runners-up	–	Octavio Rivero[57]	11
2016	MLS	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	-; West -; Overall	–	Runners-up	–	DNQ	–	–

• Note: Goals scored where possible in meaningful games, i.e. Cups, regular season, and playoffs, not preseason or friendlies.
• Note: NASL draws were settled via penalty kicks 1975-6, and with shootouts 1977–84
• Note: The NASL had bonus points for goals scored, and gave 6 points for a win.
• Note: APSL Scoring systems:^[58]

1991–1994: 6 = win, 4 = SW, 2 = SL, 0 = Loss + 1 pt up to 3 gpg

1995: 3 = win, 2 = SW, 1 = SL, 0 = Loss.

1996: 3 = win, 1 = SW, 0 = loss or SL.

• Note: The Canadian Championship for the Voyageurs Cup began in 2008 with Canada's allocation of a CCL spot.
• Note: The Cascadia Cup is a fan-owned trophy awarded to the winning team's fans that began in 2004.
• Note: N/A indicates CONCACAF did not award Canada a slot in the CONCACAF Champions League or its predecessor tournament. In the NASL years of 1974–1984 the NASL did not compete in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. CONCACAF awarded spots to the National Soccer League until financial restraints in the Ontario-based league led to the withdrawal of Canadian clubs from international club tournaments. British Columbia clubs competed in alternative international competitions such as the John F. Kennedy Trophy.
• Note: Voyageurs Cup shifted in 2015 to June/July from April/May, so Canada's 2015–16 CONCACAF Champions League spot awarded to best MLS Overall Standing.

Pos. = Position; GP = Match played; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Lost; GF = Goal For; GA = Goal Against; Pts = Points; Att = Attendance; DNQ = Did Not Qualify
Colors: Gold = winner; Silver = runner-up; Cyan = ongoing

Honours

Domestic

Canadian Championship for the Voyageurs Cup trophy.

• Winner: 2015
• Runner-up (8): 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016

League

NASL

Soccer Bowl/League Championship

• Winner (1): 1979

Regular Season

• Runner-up (2): 1978, 1983

Division Championship

• Winner (2): 1978, 1983

CSL

League Championship

• Winner (4): 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991
• Runner-up (1): 1992

Regular Season

• Winner (5): 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992

Division Championship

• Winner (3): 1988, 1989, 1990

APSL / A-League / USL-1

League Championship

• Winner (2): 2006, 2008
• Runner-up (1): 2009

Regular Season

• Winner (1): 1993
• Runner-up (1): 2008

Division Championship

• Winner (1): 2001

Other

Cascadia Cup

• Winner (5): 2004, 2005, 2008, 2013, 2014

Rivalries

The Whitecaps have two sets of rivalries being a Canadian team playing in American leagues as well as having geography and historical leagues contribute to Pacific Northwest rivalries.

Cascadia

Historically since the earliest days of soccer in the late 1890s BC-based teams have played at tournaments, festivals, and had exhibitions to determine the best team in the Pacific Northwest. Before the railways established links eastward, travel was south via steamship to San Francisco and then to the outside world. Even afterward until at least 1910 BC commonly looked south instead of east. Leagues such as the Pacific Coast Soccer League and most other popular sports played teams from Seattle, Portland, and even San Francisco occasionally. Even afterward there were competitions oriented north-south that top teams such as the Westminster Royals competed in. In the original NASL, the Vancouver Royals had links to the San Francisco Golden Gate Gales.

In 1974 when the Vancouver Whitecaps and Seattle Sounders joined the NASL, it is safe to assume fans were already used to travelling between the two cities to watch sporting events. There are fond reminisces about 3000–5000 Whitecaps fans drowning out Sounders fans at the Kingdome during the NASL era. There were links between staff and players between the Timbers, Sounders, and Whitecaps. Former teammates such as Alan Hinton or Brian Gant played for the nearest rivals. Even off the field there are similar stories; the Vancouver play-by-play radio broadcaster got the job at the last minute after the former Seattle Sounder broadcaster skipped out on Vancouver to take the job in Portland.

The Whitecaps won a title, while the Sounders were runners up twice, and Timbers runners up once. The three teams ended each other’s seasons five times in the eleven years the Whitecaps played in the league. The Whitecaps first two playoff appearances were both 1–0 losses to the Seattle Sounders in 1976 and 1977. In 1978 the Whitecaps would lose to the Portland Timbers in the playoff semi-finals.

The three clubs played exhibition matches after the NASL folded in the Western Soccer Alliance and in 1994 the Seattle Sounders and Whitecaps (as the 86ers) were both in the A-League (1995–2004). The Portland Timbers joined the A League in 2001. They eliminated each other in the playoffs five times in the A League. From 2005 – 2009, the league was named USL-1 or USL First Division. The Whitecaps and Sounders were the two most dominate teams in USL-1 with two championships each. The three teams eliminated each other in the USL-1 playoffs four times. In all the years of division 2 soccer since 1996, the Whitecaps have been the dominant team with 1.55 points per game while the Sounders earned 1.54, and Timbers 1.47 points per game. The Sounders have 4 championships to the Whitecaps 2.

The supporters groups of the teams created the Cascadia Cup in 2004. As of 2013, each team has won the cup three times each over the nine years of the cup’s existence.

Canadian Teams

The Toronto Blizzard (original NASL) were runners-up twice and Toronto Metros-Croatia won the Soccer Bowl. Vancouver Whitecaps' first playoff win was against the Toronto Metros-Croatia August 9, 1978 in front of 30,811 at Empire Stadium (at the time the largest crowd to see two Canadian teams play against each other).^[59] The Toronto Metros-Croatia team felt the goalkeeper was interfered with on the second goal and planned to protest the result even having lost 4–0. The Toronto Blizzard gained revenge by eliminating Vancouver in the 1983 NASL Quarterfinals when Vancouver had a dominant season finishing second overall in the league and most significantly Vancouver was host to Soccer Bowl '83.

Division 2 Toronto-based teams have generally not been as strong as Montreal and Vancouver. Generally Vancouver Whitecaps teams have dominated Toronto-based teams, especially in the CSL and US-based D2 leagues. When Montreal and Vancouver were in the USSF Division 2 and USL-1 playing Toronto FC in the Voyageurs Cup, the rivalry had greater meaning for Vancouver as it was the chance to prove themselves in a meaningful game against competition that was higher level only by fiat.

The rivalry against Montreal is another matter. In the original Canadian Soccer League (1987–92) with the 86ers head coach, Bob Lenarduzzi, taking on the Canadian Men's National Team management, many of the players for the Montreal Supra took umbrage at not being called up for the national team and there was a "real hatred" between the players.^[60] Most of those players joined the debuting Montreal Impact of the APSL when the CSL folded. Former players remember trips such as one in 1996 when fire alarms were pulled at 2 am and training facilities were not made available when promised, plus other antics. Montreal Impact also won the first seven Voyageurs Cup competitions.

Significant matches between the two clubs include several league playoffs and Voyageurs Cups. During the late 2000s both clubs were strong and with two new additional matches against each other through the Canadian Championship familiarity brought discord. Several players moved between the two teams for financial reasons such as Eduardo Sebrango and red cards became common occurrences. In the 2006 USL-1 playoff semifinals the Whitecaps outplayed the Impact in the first leg at Vancouver's Swanguard Stadium, however both legs including the second hosted by Montreal finished 0–0. After extra-time, the Whitecaps defeated the Impact 2–0. The Whitecaps and Impact also faced-off in the USL-1 playoff finals in 2008 and 2009. While the Impact won the first leg hosted in Montreal 1–0, they lost the 2008 semifinal after the Whitecaps won the second leg at Swangard 2–0. The most controversial game between the two clubs was in 2009.

2009 Montreal Controversy

• 18–06–2009 : After losing any chance to win the round robin, the Impact field a weak squad and lose 1–6 to TFC giving the Voyageurs Cup to TFC over Vancouver on goal difference while coach Marc Dos Santos rests key players for the league match against Vancouver two days later. The Vancouver Whitecaps team attended the TFC-Impact game in which Toronto FC claimed the 2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League qualification over Vancouver. This result was used to eventually succeed in getting the Eastern Canadian-based CSA to change the Canadian Championship format.^[61]
• 20–06–2009 : Two days later Montreal Impact win their USL-1 league game 2–1 against Vancouver. The Montreal Ultras protest against Impact de Montreal management's unsportsmanlike behaviour two days earlier during the first half.^[62]
• 18–09–2009 : End of the season league standings...the extra 3 pts Montreal got against Vancouver is the difference between 5th and 7th, so the Montreal Impact home advantage over the Whitecaps.
• 17–10–2009 : Both clubs advance to the championship playoff final. Montreal Impact win the league playoff final's second leg 3–1 at home, and Montreal wins the USL-1 Championship 6–3 on aggregate. The Whitecaps have red cards in both legs.^[63][64]

List of players

All-time rosters

• All-time Vancouver Whitecaps roster (1986–2010)
• List of Vancouver Whitecaps FC players (2011–)

Captains

Name	Nationality	Years	Ref.
Willie Stevenson	SCO	1974	[65]
Sam Lenarduzzi	CAN	1974–1975	[65]
Bruce Wilson	CAN	1976–1977	[65][66]
Jon Sammels	ENG	1978
John Craven	ENG	1979–1980	[65][67]
Alan Ball, Jr.	ENG	1980	[65]
Terry Yorath	WAL	1981–1982	[65]
Peter Lorimer	SCO	1983
Bob Lenarduzzi	CAN	1984	[65]
Shaun Lowther	CAN	1987
John Catliff	CAN	1988–1993
Ivor Evans	Fiji	1994
Rick Celebrini	CAN	1994–1995
Steve MacDonald	CAN	1996–1998
Paul Dailly	CAN	1999–2000
Kevin Holness	CAN	2001
Paul Dailly	CAN	2002–2003
Alfredo Valente	CAN	2004
Jeff Clarke	CAN	2005–2008
Adrian Cann	CAN	2008
Martin Nash	CAN	2008–2010
Jay DeMerit	USA	2011–2013	[68]
Nigel Reo-Coker	ENG	2013
Kenny Miller	SCO	2013
Pedro Morales	CHI	2014–present

DeMerit was injured in the 2013 season-opening match and is out indefinitely,^[69] although could return as early as September.^[70] Various players have filled-in as captain match-by-match.

All-time goal scorers

As of 14 March 2014

Rank	Player	Nationality	Goals
1	Domenic Mobilio	CAN	170
2	John Catliff	CAN	79
3	Jason Jordan	CAN	78
4	Carl Valentine	CAN	65
5	Dale Mitchell	CAN	49
6	Ivor Evans	Fiji	47
7	Eduardo Sebrango	Cuba	45
8	Camilo Sanvezzo	Brazil	43
9	Kevin Hector	ENG	40
10	Oliver Heald	CAN	39
11	Steve Kindel	CAN	36
12	Alfredo Valente	CAN	35
13	Bob Lenarduzzi	CAN	34
13	Doug Muirhead	CAN	34
15	Ray Hankin	ENG	33
16	Martin Nash	CAN	31
17	John Sulentic	CAN	30
18	Peter Beardsley	ENG	29
18	Paul Dailly	CAN	29
18	Trevor Whymark	ENG	29
21	Niall Thompson	CAN	27

Note: NASL, CSL, APSL, A-League, USL-1, USSF D-2, and MLS

(Regular Season, Playoffs, North American Club Championship, and Canadian Championship)

All-time appearances

As of 14 March 2014

Rank	Player	Nationality	Appearances
1	Carl Valentine	CAN	409
2	Bob Lenarduzzi	CAN	362
3	Steve Macdonald	CAN	320
4	Steve Kindel	CAN	287
5	Domenic Mobilio	CAN	286
6	Martin Nash	CAN	285
7	Alfredo Valente	CAN	271
8	Jason Jordan	CAN	257
9	Doug Muirhead	CAN	233
10	Paul Dolan	CAN	223
11	Ivor Evans	Fiji	221
12	Jeff Clarke	CAN	202
13	Chris Franks	CAN	201
14	David Morris	USA	200
15	Geordie Lyall	CAN	193
16	Paul Dailly	CAN	187
17	Oliver Heald	CAN	186
18	David Norman	CAN	171
19	John Catliff	CAN	147
20	Doug McKinty	CAN	137
21	Jeff Skinner	CAN	128
22	Jay Nolly	USA	126
23	Dale Mitchell	CAN	121
24	Guido Titotto	CAN	118
25	John Sulentic	CAN	115
26	Nico Berg	CAN	112
26	Jamie Lowery	CAN	112
27	Nick Dasovic	CAN	106
28	Jim Easton Jr.	CAN	102
28	Camilo Sanvezzo	BRA	102
30	Shaun Lowther	CAN	99
30	Gershon Koffie	GHA	99

Note: NASL, CSL, APSL, A-League, USL-1, USSF D-2, and MLS

(Regular Season, Playoffs, North American Club Championship, and Canadian Championship)

Managers

NASL

Name	Nationality	Years	Ref.
Jim Easton	CAN	1974–1975	[71]
Eckhard Krautzun	GER	1976–1977	[71]
Holger Osieck	GER	1977	[71]
Tony Waiters	ENG	1977–1979, 1980	[72]
Bob McNab	ENG	1980
Johnny Giles	IRE	1981–1983
Alan Hinton	ENG	1984

CSL / APSL / A-League / USL-1 / USSF-D2

Name	Nationality	Years	Ref.
Bob Lenarduzzi	CAN	1987–1993
Carl Valentine	ENG	1994–1999
Dale Mitchell	CAN	2000–2001
Tony Fonesca	CAN	2002–2004
Bob Lilley	USA	2005–2007
Teitur Thordarson	ISL	2008–2010	[73]

MLS team

Name	Nationality	Years	Ref.
Teitur Thordarson	ISL	2011	[73]
Tom Soehn	USA	2011
Martin Rennie	SCO	2012–2013	[74]
Carl Robinson	WAL	2014–present	[75]

Notes