Last week Russell Berrisford took a look at the Vancouver Whitecaps so now it’s time for an overview of the Portland Timbers, the second franchise to join MLS in 2011 and a key part of the Pacific Northwest triumvirate that could be a key step in Major League Soccer’s development.
Portland may never grow to be one of the “big” clubs of MLS but they will undoubtedly be one of the most passionately supported. A quick glance around the team message boards highlights that the “Timbers Army” are one of the most vocal and volatile fan groups out there, a fact that was highlighted when the team unveiled a new badge at an outdoor event this summer.
The amended design was met by a chorus of boos and somewhat obscene chants and, after discussions between the Front Office and fans, a modified version was eventually agreed upon. All of this fits in nicely with Portland’s image as a slightly more “edgy” city than nearby rivals Seattle and Vancouver, but it will be interesting to see how the club balances the line between traditional American spectator culture and a more European style of fan.
The new stadium, PGE Park, is yet to be finished but it is in a downtown location and will hold 20,000 people (with 10,000 season tickets already sold) and it should be host to a rocking atmosphere, particularly when the Timbers host their two Pacific Northwest rivals, and whilst the Timbers may be sharing the facility with the local university (American) football team it looks as close to being a “soccer specific” stadium as the fans could wish for.
On the field the squad has yet to fully take shape but next week’s “SuperDraft” (it’s like school yard picks but infinitely more complicated) should go some way to straightening that out. Fans in England may recognise the names of Eddie Johnson, who spent two years at Bradford City, and Kerrea Gilbert, who spent five at Asrenal but only played two games for the Gunners, but the majority of the playing squad have emerged through the American system.
The Timbers have appointed former Rangers and Chelsea player John Spencer as coach to see them through their first season. Spencer hasn’t been at the helm of a team before but does at least have MLS experience as both a player for the Colorado Rapids and assistant coach at the Houston Dynamo (who he helped to win the MLS Cup in his first two seasons there). First season expectations aren’t high but the supporters will expect the team to play with a spirit that echoes that of the crowd and to at least flirt with the playoffs.
In the 1970s, when the Timbers played in the now defunct North American Soccer League, they won over the locals to such an extent that Portland earned the nickname “Soccer City USA”, and whilst the new franchise may not quite reach those heights they will almost certainly sell out every game, and if you’re looking to pick an MLS team to follow then the Timbers wouldn’t be a bad choice; no allegations of “glory hunting” and a healthy dose of authenticity thrown in for good measure.
Tags: MLS, Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders, Vancouver Whitecaps