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Whitecaps FC Team Formation
An ownership group in Vancouver was granted the seventeenth Major League Soccer franchise on March 18, 2009, by MLS Commissioner Don Garber. While no name was provided at the Vancouver announcement, over a year later the club confirmed it would keep the Whitecaps name.
In preparation for its first MLS 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 included 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.
As the head coach of the USL and later USSF Division 2 Vancouver Whitecaps, former Iceland international Teitur Thordarson was confirmed as head coach on September 2, 2010, for the inaugural MLS season. He was subsequently relieved of his duties on May 30, 2011, after the Whitecaps won just one of their first twelve matches. Tom Soehn, the Whitecaps director of soccer operations, replaced Thordarson on an interim basis.
The Whitecaps began to play in the 2011 MLS season with their first match on March 19, 2011, against rival Canadians Toronto FC, which they won 4–2. The first goal in the Whitecaps’ MLS era was scored by Eric Hassli. After their winning start, the Whitecaps struggled and failed to secure another victory in their next 11 MLS games, drawing six and losing five. In the aftermath of their 1–1 draw with the New York Red Bulls on May 30 head coach Teitur Thordarson was fired. Tom Soehn took over coaching duties for the remainder of the 2011 season, while Martin Rennie was announced as the new permanent head coach on August 9, taking over officially on November 2.
The Whitecaps were the 17th team to enter Major League Soccer and replaced the USSF Division 2 team of the same name in the city. The club has been owned and managed by the same group since their USSF days, having graduated to MLS after the conclusion of the USSF’s 2010 season. The MLS version of the team is a phoenix club, and the third to carry the legacy of the Whitecaps name. In the 2012 season, the team became the first Canadian team to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Established
2009
City
Vancouver
League History
2011 – Present / Major League Soccer
Team History
2011 – Present / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Nickname
Vancouver Whitecaps FC – Whitecap’ refers to a snowy tops that you see on Vancouver’s surrounding mountains and ocean waves of the Pacific.
Championship
MLS Cups 0
Stadium
2011 – Present / BC Place
2011 / Empire Field
Owner
2009 – Present / Greg Kerfoot, Steve Luczo, Jeff Mallett and Steve Nash
Retired Number
*Blue is this team’s history