Vancouver Whitecaps (1986–2010)
- This is a page on the original North American Soccer League franchise. For the current USL team, see the Vancouver Whitecaps (USL).
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
Year | League | W | L | T | Pts | Reg. Season | Playoffs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1974 | NASL | 5 | 11 | 4 | 70 | 4th, Western Division | Did not qualify |
1975 | NASL | 11 | 11 | — | 99 | 4th, Pacific Division | Did not qualify |
1976 | NASL | 14 | 10 | — | 120 | 3rd, Pacific Conference, Western Division | Lost 1st Round (Seattle) |
1977 | NASL | 14 | 12 | — | 1s4 | 2nd, Pacific Conference, Western Division | Lost Division Championship (Seattle) |
1978 | NASL | 24 | 6 | — | 199 | 1st, National Conference, Western Division | Won 1st Round (Toronto) Lost Conference Semifinal (Portland) |
1979 | NASL | 20 | 10 | — | 172 | 1st, National Conference, Western Division | Won Conference Quarterfinal (Dallas) Won Conference Semifinal (Los Angeles) Won Conference Championship (New York) Won Soccer Bowl '79 (Tampa Bay) |
1979/80 | NASL Indoor | Did not enter | |||||
1980 | NASL | 16 | 16 | — | 139 | 3rd, National Conference, Western Division | Lost 1st Round (Seattle) |
1980/81 | NASL Indoor | 11 | 7 | — | — | 1st, Northern Division | Won 1st Round (California) Lost Semifinal (Edmonton) |
1981 | NASL | 21 | 11 | — | 186 | 1st, Northwest Division | Lost 1st Round (Tampa Bay) |
1981/82 | NASL Indoor | 10 | 8 | — | — | 2nd, National Conference, Northwest Division | Lost 1st Round (San Diego) |
1982 | NASL | 20 | 12 | — | 160 | 3rd, Western Division | Lost 1st Round (San Diego) |
1979/80 | NASL Indoor | Season cancelled | |||||
1983 | NASL | 24 | 6 | — | 187 | 1st, Western Division | Lost 1st Round (Toronto) |
1983/84 | NASL Indoor | 12 | 20 | — | — | 5th | Did not qualify |
1984 | NASL | 13 | 11 | — | 117 | 2nd, Western Division | Lost Semifinal (Chicago) |
NASL attendance figures
- 1984 15,208
- 1983 29,164
- 1982 18,251
- 1981 23,236
- 1980 26,834
- 1979 22,962
- 1978 15,724
- 1977 11,897
- 1976 8,656
- 1975 7,579
- 1974 10,098