1968 Vancouver Royals season

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.

Vancouver Royals
1968 season
OwnerGeorge Fleharty
ManagerFerenc Puskás
StadiumEmpire Stadium
North American Soccer League4th, Pacific Division
12th Overall
Top goalscorerLeague:
All: Henry Klein
Highest home attendance10,866
(Aug. 10 vs. Los Angeles)
Lowest home attendance3,123
(Apr. 10 vs. Baltimore)
Average home league attendance6,197

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
1Chris Varnavas G183772600
2Bobby Cram D180783220
3Gerrit Lagendijk D17373510
4Antonio Collar M180762000
5Tomas Krivitz D175772500
6Peter Dinsdale D180803000
7Lajos Vicek F170671520
8Janos Hanek F173741230
9John Green F175682540
10Cheung Chi Doy F173711120
11Kirk Apostolidis F17877700
11Leif Claesson F183791630
12Cheung Chi Wai F170693220
13Mirko Casic 200
13Atilla Sandor F17063100
14Brian "Pat" O'Connell F173722760
15Henry Hill D17575300
16Gyorgy Liptak D178831200
17Jose Arranz F17576400
17Ike MacKay F183791520
18Joaquin Rey M178722240
19Jean-Pierre Chaillat F16570200
20Gary DeLong G17871900
21Henry Klein F1807926204
Ken Pears G000
Reg Stratton F400

Num = Number, Pos = Position, Height in cm, 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
ResultWWWLLWDLLDWLDLDLWWLWLWLLWLWLLWLD
Source: soccerstats.us
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Match results
April 7, 1968 1Vancouver Royals4–1Toronto FalconsVancouver, British Columbia
Lajos Vicek
Janos Hanek
John Green (footballer) 		Report López Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 5,620
April 10, 1968 2Vancouver Royals2–1Baltimore BaysVancouver, British Columbia
Henry Klein
Cheung Chi Doy 		Report Uriel Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 3,123
April 14, 1968 3Vancouver Royals3–1New York GeneralsVancouver, British Columbia
Henry Klein
Jonas Hanek 		Report Perau Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 6,342
April 16, 1968 4St. Louis Stars2–1Vancouver RoyalsSt. Louis, Missouri
Pogrzeba
Frankiewicz 		Report Bobby Cram Stadium: Busch Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 3,188
April 20, 1968 5Detroit Cougars2–1Vancouver RoyalsDetroit, Michigan
Kerr Report Henry Klein Stadium: Tiger Stadium
Attendance: 2,700
April 28, 1968 6Vancouver Royals1–0Atlanta ChiefsVancouver, British Columbia
Joaquin Rey Report Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 6,780
May 5, 1968 7Vancouver Royals1–1Chicago MustangsVancouver, British Columbia
Johnny Green Report Stojovic Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 5,780
May 8, 1968 8San Diego Toros5–1Vancouver RoyalsSan Diego, California
Fernández
Baeza
Vavá 		Report Brian O'Connell Stadium: Balboa Stadium
Attendance: 6,614
May 12, 1968 9Vancouver Royals0–1Oakland ClippersVancouver, British Columbia
Report Mitic Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 5,672
May 19, 1968 10Vancouver Royals2–2Kansas City SpursVancouver, British Columbia
Brian O'Connell Report Barber Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 4,831
May 22, 1968 11Los Angeles Wolves0–1Vancouver RoyalsLos Angeles, California
Report Henry Klein Stadium: Rose Bowl
Attendance: 3,834
June 2, 1968 12Kansas City Spurs2–1Vancouver RoyalsKansas City, Missouri
Glock
Roy 		Report Cheung Chi Doy Stadium: Kansas City Municipal Stadium
Attendance: 6,453
June 5, 1968 13St. Louis Stars0–0Vancouver RoyalsSt. Louis, Missouri
Report Stadium: Busch Memorial Stadium,
Attendance: 5,902
June 8, 1968 14Vancouver Royals1–3San Diego TorosVancouver, British Columbia
Lajos Vicek Report Fernández Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 5,118
June 15, 1968 15Vancouver Royals2–2Oakland ClippersVancouver, British Columbia
Cheung Chi Wai
Leif Claesson 		Report Davidovic
Marin 		Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 6,027
June 22, 1968 16Vancouver Royals1–3St. Louis StarsVancouver, British Columbia
Brian O'Connell Report Pogrzeba
Wrenger
Frankiewicz 		Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 7,352
June 26, 1968 17Vancouver Royals2–0Kansas City SpursVancouver, British Columbia
Ike Mackay
Henry Klein 		Report Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 4,100
June 29, 1968 18Vancouver Royals1–0Los Angeles WolvesVancouver, British Columbia
Henry Klein Report Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 5,583
July 4, 1968 19Oakland Clippers4–0Vancouver RoyalsOakland, California
Hoftvedt
Mitic
Davidovic
Milosevic 		Report Stadium: Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum
Attendance: 3,353
July 9, 1968 20Vancouver Royals3–1Dallas TornadoVancouver, British Columbia
Henry Klein
Ike Mackay 		Report Renshaw Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 5,832
July 12, 1968 21Boston Beacons3–2Vancouver RoyalsBoston, Massachusetts
Mulligan
Dyreborg
Sosa 		Report Henry Klein Stadium: Fenway park
Attendance: 2,800
July 17, 1968 22Cleveland Stokers1–2Vancouver RoyalsCleveland, Ohio
Mateos Report Joaquin Rey
Brian O'Connell 		Stadium: Cleveland Stadium
Attendance: 3,541
July 19, 1968 23Toronto Falcons4–3Vancouver RoyalsToronto, Ontario
Daucik
López
DeBrito 		Report Henry Klein
Leif Claesson 		Stadium: Varsity Stadium
Attendance: 5,171
July 27, 1968 24Vancouver Royals1–2San Diego TorosVancouver, British Columbia
Henry Klein Report Tomic
Meszaros 		Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 8,824
August 3, 1968 25Vancouver Royals2–1Houston StarsVancouver, British Columbia
Johnny Green
Joaquin Rey 		Report Szalay Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 7,307
August 7, 1968 26Oakland Clippers6–1Vancouver RoyalsOakland, California
Saccone
Mitic
Milosevic 		Report Henry Klein Stadium: Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum
Attendance: 3,212
August 10, 1968 27Vancouver Royals4–1Los Angeles WolvesVancouver, British Columbia
Johnny Green
Joaquin Rey
Henry Klein 		Report Walker Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 10,866
August 15, 1968 28Vancouver Royals3–5Washington WhipsVancouver, British Columbia
Henry Klein
Brian O'Connell
Leif Claesson 		Report Heineman
D'Oliveira
Siega
Hansen 		Stadium: Empire Stadium
Attendance: 4,572
August 19, 1968 29San Diego Toros2–0Vancouver RoyalsSan Diego, California
Fernández Report Stadium: Balboa Stadium
Attendance: 6,322
August 30, 1968 30Dallas Tornado0–3Vancouver RoyalsDallas, Texas
Report Bobby Cram
Cheung Chi Wai
Gerrit Lagendijk 		Stadium: Cotton Bowl
Attendance: 1,711
September 1, 1968 31Los Angeles Wolves2–0Vancouver RoyalsLos Angeles, California
Ford
Houliston 		Report Stadium: Rose Bowl
Attendance: 1,300
September 7, 1968 32Houston Stars2–2Vancouver RoyalsHouston, Texas
Juracy
Merayo 		Report Henry Klein Stadium: Astrodome
Attendance: 2,776

See also

References
  • Litterer, Dave. "North American Soccer League I (NASL) 1967-1984". American Soccer History Archives. Archived from the original on September 7, 2013. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
  • Severino, Carlos. "North American Soccer League 1968". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
  1. Associated Press (December 14, 1967). "20 cities picked for soccer loop". The New York Times. p. 80.
  2. Litterer, David (January 31, 2010). "The Year in American Soccer - 1968". American Soccer Archives. Archived from the original on July 26, 2015. 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.
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