On a momentous anniversary, the Vancouver Whitecaps achieved a moral victory in front of the largest crowd ever in the Major League Soccer era.
“It was a fantastic performance,” coach Barney Sartini said after his team’s 0-0 draw against Austin FC at BC Place last Saturday.
Celebrating the Whitecaps’ 50th anniversary, the club, which has 32,465 fans, recorded its second consecutive winless season, taking its record to 5-2-3 on the year.
Earlier this week, Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim officially declared May 4 the Whitecaps FC 50th Anniversary. The club has also been recognized by the Legislative Assembly of the British Columbia government.
More than 100 alumni from across the Whitecaps’ 50-year history were welcomed to the stadium prior to kickoff.
Although the club was formed as an MLS franchise only 13 years ago, its first match was played in the North American Soccer League (NASL) in 1974.
@WhitecapsFC Happy 50th anniversary! We look forward to a big celebration today and were delighted to declare May 4th the 50th Anniversary of Whitecaps FC.
We support the team that proudly represents our city. Discover another 50 years of unforgettable moments on the pitch!… pic.twitter.com/GGx8a7P741
“I think it was just the team that City were really behind,” club legend Carl Valentine said of the early days. “We’ve had some class players and some big stars, including Alan Ball and Willie Johnston.
“But we worked really hard and I think that’s what Vancouver likes.”
Valentine was a member of the team that won the 1979 Soccer Bowl. At the time, it was Vancouver’s first major sports title in 15 years.
Vancouver sports fans celebrate the Whitecaps’ soccer championship win in 1979 with a large parade.
The Whitecaps built a solid fan base during their time in the NASL, consistently making the playoffs.
When the league was discontinued in 1986, some members of the team’s administration reorganized the team as the Vancouver 86ers to play in the Canadian Soccer League. The team then used the name Whitecaps again in 2000.
The Whitecaps continued to play at the 5,288-seat Swanard Stadium in the 2000s as Vancouver became a club in the United Soccer Leagues and United States Soccer Federation Division 2. It drew a crowd.
They were eventually reformed as an MLS expansion franchise in 2011, and made the playoffs the following year. Since then, the club has won three Canadian Championships in 2015, 2022 and 2023.
Dan Burritt speaks to club CEO Axel Schuster and former star player Carl Valentine about the highs and lows of the club’s half-century of existence ahead of Saturday’s 50th anniversary match.
Club CEO Axel Schuster said the club’s half-century long history meant there was a lot of responsibility on the shoulders of the current team.
“It’s not just us here. There are a lot of people who are connected to this club because they have a lot of great memories,” he told CBC’s guest host Dan Burritt. On the Coast.
“We… think we are a small part of a bigger story.”
The Whitecaps currently sit in third place in the Western Conference and Schuster said the club is being rewarded for its patience through a difficult few seasons.
“Despite having those players and coaching staff, we had a bad start to the season last year,” he said. “We have never doubted whether we are on the right path and we continue to work hard.”
Valentine said he hopes the NHL Vancouver Canucks’ success will lead to an “infectious” feeling of victory among the city’s fans and energize the fan base as the MLS season progresses.
Scoreless draw with Austin
It is the first time in an MLS match this season that the Whitecaps have been kept off the scoreboard, with striker Brian White averaging two goals per game heading into Saturday’s match and having scored in four straight games.
The fans roared early when captain Ryan Gauld beat Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver in the 19th minute of the first half. However, the goal was canceled after video replay after a handball was confirmed before the shot.
Overall, the Whitecaps had 62.2% possession in the game.
“It was a really important night for the club,” Gauld said. “It was a big milestone, so we knew the fans would come back. They pushed us like we expected, but unfortunately we couldn’t send everyone home happy.”
The Whitecaps are scheduled to depart next week as part of an eight-game schedule in May. They begin their Canadian championship defense against Cavalry FC on Tuesday before returning to MLS action next Saturday against LAFC.
