1978 Vancouver Whitecaps season

Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1978 football season
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
1978 season
ChairmanHerb Capozzi[1]
Head coachTony Waiters
NASLDivision: 1st
Overall: 2nd
NASL PlayoffsQuarterfinals
Highest home attendance30,752 vs DT July 12, 1978[2]
Lowest home attendance9,266 vs RL April 16, 1978[3]
Average home league attendance15,736 [4]
Home colours
Away colours
← 1977
1979 →

The 1978 Vancouver Whitecaps season was the fifth season of the Whitecaps, and their fifth year in the North American Soccer League and the top flight of Canadian soccer.

This was coach Tony Waiter's first full season with the club. The team was dominant in the 1978 with 68 goals scored, a thirteen-game winning streak, and a 24-6 record – tied with the dramatically higher spending powerhouse New York Cosmos for the best record in the NASL. The Whitecaps achieved this with mainly unrecognized players, nicknamed the "English Mafia" for primarily English foreign players coupled with locals including Italian-Canadians. Due to the large number of teams, 24, the season was not set up with a balanced home and away schedule with some teams played twice, others once, and still others not at all. After the league during the playoff tournament in which 16 of 24 teams competed, the Whitecaps defeated Toronto Metros-Croatia in front of 30,811 at Empire Stadium (at the time the largest crowd to see two Canadian teams play against each other)[5] before being upset by the Portland Timbers in the quarterfinals two games to nil.[6]

'King' Kevin Hector led the Whitecaps with 21 goals and ten assists while tying for fourth in the golden boot race. Bob Lenarduzzi also had a strong season on the score sheet with ten goals and seventeen assists along with Bob Campbell and John Craven. Phil Parkes was the top goalkeeper in the NASL with 29 games played, a 0.95 GAA and 10 clean sheets. Alan Hinton, Steve Kember, and Bob Bolitho also were main contributors over the season.[7] Despite the team's record and strong attendance at fifth highest in the league, the club received little recognition at the All Star Game with only Kevin Hector and John Craven named to the second team. They recouped that recognition though with Tony Waiters awarded Coach of the Year and the North American Player of the Year awarded to Bob Lenarduzzi.

Club

Roster

The 1978 squad[8]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK England ENG Phil Parkes
2 DF Canada CAN Garry Ayre
3 DF England ENG Steve Harrison
4 DF England ENG John Craven
5 DF Canada CAN Robert Lenarduzzi
6 DF Canada CAN Silvano Lenarduzzi
7 MF Canada CAN Buzz Parsons
8 MF England ENG Jon Sammels
9 MF Canada CAN Drew Ferguson
10 MF Canada CAN Bob Bolitho
11 FW England ENG Kevin Hector
No. Pos. Nation Player
12 DF Canada CAN Paul Nelson
14 MF England ENG Steve Kember
15 MF Canada CAN Wayne Jentas
16 MF Canada CAN Dale Mitchell
17 DF England ENG Peter Daniel
18 DF Canada CAN Dan Lenarduzzi
19 FW Canada CAN Sam Saundh
20 FW England ENG Alan Hinton
21 FW England ENG Mickey Lambert
21 FW Northern Ireland NIR Robert Campbell
22 GK England ENG Steve Humphreys
24 FW England ENG Derek Possee

Team management

Tony Waiters' first full season as coach of Vancouver Whitecaps coach in 1978 saw the Whitecaps tied for the best record in the NASL at 24-6 and win the Coach of the Year Award.[9]

Results

Results by round

Source: soccerstats.us
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Match results

Vancouver Whitecaps v San Diego Sockers
April 2, 1978 1 Vancouver Whitecaps 1 – 4 San Diego Sockers Vancouver
Kevin Hector Report Gerry Ingram
Peter Anderson 		Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 11,425
Vancouver Whitecaps v Seattle Sounders
April 9, 1978 2 Vancouver Whitecaps 3 – 0 Seattle Sounders Vancouver
Bob Lenarduzzi
Kevin Hector
Alan Hinton 		Report Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 11,232
Vancouver Whitecaps v Toronto Metros-Croatia
May 16, 1978 3 Vancouver Whitecaps 4 – 1 Toronto Metros-Croatia Vancouver
Buzz Parsons
John Craven
Kevin Hector
Derek Possee 		Report Mike Stojanovic Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 9,266
California Surf v Vancouver Whitecaps
April 18, 1978 4 California Surf 1 – 0 Vancouver Whitecaps Los Angeles
Malcolm Lord Report Stadium: Anaheim Stadium
Attendance: 10,602
Colorado Caribous v Vancouver Whitecaps
April 23, 1978 5 Colorado Caribous 0 – 1 Vancouver Whitecaps Denver, Colorado
Report Own goal Stadium: Mile High Stadium
Attendance: 7,389
Vancouver Whitecaps v California Surf
April 30, 1978 6 Vancouver Whitecaps 0 – 2 California Surf Vancouver
Kevin Hector Report Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 10,649
Vancouver Whitecaps v Portland Timbers (1975–1982)
May 7, 1978 7 Vancouver Whitecaps 1 – 0 Portland Timbers (1975–1982) Vancouver
Steve Kember Report Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 13,155
Seattle Sounders v Vancouver Whitecaps
May 10, 1978 8 Seattle Sounders 1 – 2 Vancouver Whitecaps Seattle
Tommy Ord Report Kevin Hector
Bob Lenarduzzi 		Stadium: Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 17,085
Rochester Lancers v Vancouver Whitecaps
May 14, 1978 9 Rochester Lancers 1 – 2 Vancouver Whitecaps Rochester, New York
Francisco Bolota Report John Craven Stadium: Holleder Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 4,119
Minnesota Kicks v Vancouver Whitecaps
June 5, 1975 10 Minnesota Kicks 3 – 2 Vancouver Whitecaps Bloomington, Minnesota
Ian Hamilton
Ace Ntsoelengoe
Alan Willey 		Report Own goal
Bob Lenarduzzi 		Stadium: Metropolitan Stadium
Attendance: 25,495
Vancouver Whitecaps v Colorado Caribous
May 20, 1978 11 Vancouver Whitecaps 1 – 0 Colorado Caribous Vancouver
Kevin Hector Report Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 12,643
Vancouver Whitecaps v Washington Diplomats
May 27, 1978 12 Vancouver Whitecaps 2 – 1 Washington Diplomats Vancouver
Kevin Hector
Bob Lenarduzzi 		Report Vitseskic Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 12,150
Vancouver Whitecaps v Tampa Bay Rowdies
June 1, 1978 13 Vancouver Whitecaps 1 – 0 Tampa Bay Rowdies Vancouver
Kevin Hector Report Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 14,051
New York Cosmos v Vancouver Whitecaps
June 4, 1978 14 New York Cosmos 3 – 2 Vancouver Whitecaps East Rutherford, New Jersey
Giorgio Chinaglia
Santiago Formoso 		Report John Craven
Derek Possee 		Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 44,675
New England Tea Men v Vancouver Whitecaps
June 7, 1978 15 New England Tea Men 2 – 0 Vancouver Whitecaps Foxborough, Massachusetts
Mike Flanagan
Roger Gibbins 		Report Stadium: Foxboro Stadium
Attendance: 4,862
Washington Diplomats v Vancouver Whitecaps
June 10, 1978 16 Washington Diplomats 1 – 1 (SO) Vancouver Whitecaps Washington, D.C.
Mike Bakic Report John Craven Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 10,615
Vancouver Whitecaps v Toronto Metros-Croatia
June 17, 1978 17 Vancouver Whitecaps 0 – 1 Toronto Metros-Croatia Vancouver
Report Marko Vujkovic Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 15,661
Vancouver Whitecaps v Tulsa Roughnecks
June 22, 1975 18 Vancouver Whitecaps 5 – 1 Tulsa Roughnecks Vancouver
Bob Lenarduzzi
Bob Campbell
Steve Kember
Kevin Hector 		Report Billy Gazonas Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 10,524
San Jose Earthquakes v Vancouver Whitecaps
June 28, 1978 19 San Jose Earthquakes 0 – 0 (SO) Vancouver Whitecaps San Jose, California
Report Stadium: Spartan Stadium
Attendance: 14,263
Los Angeles Aztecs v Vancouver Whitecaps
July 1, 1978 20 Los Angeles Aztecs 0 – 2 Vancouver Whitecaps Pasadena, California
Report Bob Campbell Stadium: Rose Bowl
Attendance: 3,795
Vancouver Whitecaps v Detroit Express
July 5, 1978 21 Vancouver Whitecaps 2 – 1 Detroit Express Vancouver
John Craven Report Graham Oates Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 18,625
Dallas Tornado v Vancouver Whitecaps
July 8, 1978 22 Dallas Tornado 1 – 2 Vancouver Whitecaps University Park, Texas
Max Thompson Report Bob Campbell
Kevin Hector 		Stadium: Ownby Stadium
Attendance: 5,461
Vancouver Whitecaps v Dallas Tornado
July 12, 1978 23 Vancouver Whitecaps 6 – 1 Dallas Tornado Vancouver
Jon Sammels
Derek Possee
Kevin Hector
Bob Lenarduzzi
Bob Campbell 		Report Brian Kettle Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 30,752
Memphis Rogues v Vancouver Whitecaps
July 15, 1978 24 Memphis Rogues 1 – 2 Vancouver Whitecaps Midtown, Memphis, Tennessee
Jimmy Husband Report Kevin Hector
Bob Campbell 		Stadium: Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 8,201
Vancouver Whitecaps v Oakland Stompers
July 17, 1978 25 Vancouver Whitecaps 2 – 1 Oakland Stompers Vancouver
Kevin Hector
Bob Campbell 		Report Archie Roboostoff Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 18,783
Portland Timbers v Vancouver Whitecaps
July 21, 1978 26 Portland Timbers 0 – 2 Vancouver Whitecaps Portland, Oregon
Report Kevin Hector Stadium: Civic Stadium
Attendance: 23,536
Vancouver Whitecaps v Los Angeles Aztecs
July 27, 1978 27 Vancouver Whitecaps 4 – 1 Los Angeles Aztecs Vancouver
Kevin Hector
Bob Campbell
Steve Kember 		Report George Dewsnip Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 22,910
Oakland Stompers v Vancouver Whitecaps
July 30, 1978 28 Oakland Stompers 2 – 6 Vancouver Whitecaps Oakland, California
McCulloch Report Bob Campbell
Jon Sammels
Steve Kember
John Craven
Peter Daniel 		Stadium: Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum
Attendance: 6,421
Vancouver Whitecaps v San Jose Earthquakes
August 3, 1978 29 Vancouver Whitecaps 6 – 0 San Jose Earthquakes Vancouver
Bob Lenarduzzi
Kevin Hector
Own goal 		Report Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 24,216
San Diego Sockers v Vancouver Whitecaps
August 6, 1978 30 San Diego Sockers 1 – 2 Vancouver Whitecaps San Diego, California
Doganovic Report Steve Kember
Jon Sammels 		Stadium: Jack Murphy Stadium
Attendance: 5,743

Playoffs

Conference Quarterfinals – vs Toronto (N7)

Vancouver Whitecaps v Toronto Metros-Croatia
August 9, 1978 Vancouver Whitecaps 4 – 0 Toronto Metros-Croatia Vancouver
Bobby Campbell 17'
Alan Hinton 18'
Bob Lenarduzzi 		Report Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 30,811

Conference Semifinals – vs Portland (N4)

Vancouver Whitecaps v Portland Timbers
August 12, 1978 Game 1 Vancouver Whitecaps 0 – 1 Portland Timbers Vancouver
Report Clyde Best Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 16,437
Portland Timbers v Vancouver Whitecaps
August 16, 1978 Game 2 Portland Timbers 2 – 1 Vancouver Whitecaps Portland, Oregon
Clyde Best 17'
Willie Anderson 		Report Steve Kember Stadium: Civic Stadium
Attendance: 32,266

See also

References

  1. ^ "PCSL - Socer Beginnings in BC". Archived from the original on February 3, 2013. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
  2. ^ "Soccer History | SoccerStats.us".
  3. ^ "Soccer History | SoccerStats.us".
  4. ^ Litterer, david (October 27, 2003). "The Year in American Soccer – 1978". American Soccer History Archives. Archived from the original on February 17, 2015. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  5. ^ Farley, Richard (July 26, 2008). ""White is the Colour" -- Vancouver's NASL Success". A More Splendid Life. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
  6. ^ Litterer, david (October 27, 2003). "The Year in American Soccer – 1978". American Soccer History Archives. Archived from the original on February 17, 2015. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  7. ^ "NASL Vancouver Whitecaps Rosters".
  8. ^ "NASL Vancouver Whitecaps Rosters".
  9. ^ Litterer, david (October 27, 2003). "The Year in American Soccer – 1978". American Soccer History Archives. Archived from the original on February 17, 2015. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
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