1968 Vancouver Royals season

Vancouver Royals
1968 season
Owner George Fleharty
Manager Ferenc Puskás
Stadium Empire Stadium
North American Soccer League 4th, Pacific Division
12th Overall
Top goalscorer League:
All: Henry Klein
Highest home attendance 10,866
(Aug. 10 vs. Los Angeles)
Lowest home attendance 3,123
(Apr. 10 vs. Baltimore)
Average home league attendance 6,197
Home colours
Away colours
← 1967

The 1968 Vancouver Royal Canadians season was the second season in the history of the Vancouver Royal Canadians soccer club. The club played in the North American Soccer League (NASL) at Empire Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Following the 1967 season, the USA and the FIFA-blacklisted National Professional Soccer League merged to form the North American Soccer League.[1][2] The merger meant that teams from the predecessor leagues competing against each other in the same markets needed to be moved, combined, or folded. As part of this process, George Fleharty bought the Vancouver Royal Canadians from E.G. Eakins and folded his NPSL team, the San Francisco Golden Gate Gales.[1] The new owner shortened the name to Vancouver Royals and chose player-coach Ferenc Puskás over future England manager Bobby Robson, the previous owner's new manager for the Vancouver Royals; he resigned when offered the demotion to assistant manager.[2] The 1968 Vancouver Royals' roster was put together without the preparation or advantage of importing an entire team.[3] A significant amount of the team was recruited by Bobby Robson including two brothers from Hong Kong playing in England. Ferenc Puskás also brought in several Europeans, a few players with connections to the Golden Gate Gaels, as well as at least two local players from local leagues. A few foreign players settled in Vancouver after their playing careers including Peter Dinsdale.[4] The Vancouver Royals had the third highest average attendance in the league at 6,197. The club folded after the 1968 season as the NASL contracted from seventeen clubs to five for the 1969 NASL season. The five remaining teams were located roughly in the US Midwest with one team on the east coast.

Coaches

Players

Num Name Pos Height Weight Apps G A
1 Chris Varnavas CyprusG183 77 26 0 0
2Bobby Cram England D 18078 3220
3 Gerrit Lagendijk NetherlandsD17373 5 10
4 Antonio Collar Spain M18076 2000
5 Tomas Krivitz Hungary D175772500
6Peter Dinsdale EnglandD180803000
7 Lajos Vicek Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia F170671520
8 Janos Hanek HungaryF173741230
9John Green England F175 68 2540
10Cheung Chi Doy China F173711120
11Kirk Apostolidis GreeceF17877700
11Leif Claesson SwedenF183791630
12Cheung Chi Wai China F170693220
13 Mirko Casic Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 200
13Atilla Sandor GermanyF17063100
14 Brian "Pat" O'Connell EnglandF173722760
15Henry Hill England D17575300
16 Gyorgy Liptak Hungary D178831200
17 Jose Arranz SpainF17576400
17 Ike MacKay CanadaF183791520
18 Joaquin Rey Spain M178722240
19 Jean-Pierre Chaillat HungaryF16570200
20Gary Delong United StatesG17871900
21Henry Klein LuxembourgF1807926204
Ken Pears CanadaG 000
Reg Stratton England F 400

Num = Number, Pos = Position, Height in cms, Weight in kg, Apps = Appearances, G = Goals, A = Assists

Results

Standings

Pacific DivisionWLTGFGAPts
San Diego Toros18866538186
Oakland Clippers18867138185
Los Angeles Wolves111385552139
Vancouver Royals121555160136

Results by round

Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132
GroundHHHAAHHAHHAAAHHHHHAHAAAHHAHHAAAA
Result W W W L L W D L L D W L D L D L W W L W L W L L W L W L L W L D

Last updated: February 6, 2014.
Source:
Ground: A = Away; H = Home. Result: T = Tie; L = Loss; W = Win; P = Postponed.

Match results

See also

External links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Associated Press (December 14, 1967). "20 cities picked for soccer loop". The New York Times. p. 80.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Litterer, David (January 31, 2010). "The Year in American Soccer - 1968". American Soccer Archives. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
  3. ↑ Crossley, Andy (2013). "1967-1968 Vancouver Royal Canadians / Vancouver Royals". Fun While It Lasted. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
  4. ↑ Morrison, Dave. "Vancouver Royals". Retrieved February 6, 2014.