BiS - Wednesday, April 13, 1983 - North Shore News

Vancouver Whitecaps ’83

in 1982, appearing in 19 games, drawing a starting assignment 13 times. Although born in North Shields, England, Lowther moved to Edmonton as a teenager and became a Canadian citizen last year. He was the Whitecaps’ second draft pick and 29th overall in the NASL

Colliege/High School draft in 1980. He has spent the past three winters with University of Dublin in the League of Ireland.

ALAN TAYLOR Forward Ht.: 5-10, Wt.: 160, Age: 29, Citizen: Eagiand

A three-year Whitecap veteran, Taylor missed two and a half months of the NASL season in 1982 with a severe groin strain. As a result, be only appeared in 11 games but still managed to score six goals and four assists to rank sixth overall on the club. Alan began his English career in 1973 with Rochdale appearing in 55 games over two seasons. He was transferred to West Ham United in 1974 and played four seasons there appearing in 88 games, scoring 25 goals. The year 1975 was “Taylor-made” as Alan and West Ham enjoyed a glonous F.A. Cup run. Although a substitute most of the 1975 season with the “Hammers”, Taylor came off the bench and went on a goal-scoring tear. He scored both goals in a 2-0 semi-final win over Ipswich = and, unbchevably, scored both goals in the Cup Final in a 2- 0 decision over Fulham.

PLAZA

Filter Queen

is pleased to be part of the North Shore with our

PAUL NELSON Defender: Ht.: 5-8, Wt.: 155, Age: 23, Citizen: Canada

A regular first team player in 1980 and 1981, Nelson only appeared in nine games this past season suffering from a slipped disc injury. Nelson's back had bothered him all through the 1981-82 indoor season. During the off-season he underwent major surgery and was in traction for three weeks. Now fully recovered, he is expected to battle for one of the fullback spots in 1983. A product of Vancouver's Cliff Avenue system, Nelson has been with the Whitecaps since 1977.

FRAN O'BRIEN

Midfielder

Has 5°B”, We: 140,

Age: 28, Citizen: ireland Fran O'Brien, with the

Montreal Manic last season,

was a NASL first team all-

star last year in polis by both

Soccer America and_ the Professional) Soccer Reporters Association. A

native of Dublin and an Irish international, he was runner- up to Seattle's Peter Ward as PSRA Three-Star Player of the Year

new office

community

We look forward to serving you and your

Good Luck Whitecaps

CUSTOM DESIGN SUITS

Let’s Go Whitecaps! 985-4411 o, 985-9222

k

&

x

DAVID NORMAN Defender

Ht.: 5-7, We.: 150, Age: 20 Canada

Now entering his fourth season with the Whitecaps, David is coming off his busiest year. He appeared in 19 games last season and collected six assists. Another outstanding product of the B.C. minor soccer system, David was the club's number one draft pick in 1980.

Although born in Glasgow, Scotland, he grew up im suburban Coquitlam attending Centennial

Secondary School. Over the past three NASL off-season periods, David has been a regular with the University College Dublin in the League of Ireland.

MIKE SWEENEY Midfielder Ht.: 5-8, We.: 155, Age: 23 Citizen: Canada

A native British Columbian, Sweeney was acquired by the Caps as a free agent from the Ed- monton Drillers. Entering his fourth year in the NASL, Sweeney has been a regular first team player his previous three seasons with = the Dnillers.

986-9317

Hit.: 5-7, Wt.: 180, Age: 30 Citizen: Denmark

Unquestionably one of pro soccer’s iron-men, Lund was acquired in a cash deal from Buffalo Stallions of the Major Indoor Soccer League. He has missed only one game indoors or out- doors since 1974. Spent three seasons in the NASL from 1979-81 with the Dallas Tornado where he played in

85 consecutive games — a club record and just shy of the NASL record.

Prior to that played in the ©

Bundesliga with Fortuna Dusseldorf and was a member to the club’s 1979

European Cup Winners Cup finalists. Also played for Antwerp in Belgium and KB Kobenhagen in his native Denmark. Has been capped 26 times for Denmark.

DAVE WATSON Defender: Ht. 6 We: 175

Age: 36, Citizen: England

KNOWN AS the ‘Man of Granite,’ the 6-0, 175 Ib. Watson started his career as a forward with Notts County, but was traded to Rotherham in 1968 where he was switched to centreback by then manager Tommy Docherty. -

He was sold to Sunderland in December 1970 for a club record $200,000 and was the individual star of Sun- derland's underdog 1973 F.A. Cup victory. That triumph came _ over England's top club team of the era, Leeds United, whose midfield included Johnny Giles, with Peter Lorimer on the Leeds for- ward line.

Watson, a native of Nottingham, England, anchored the back line of England for almost eight full

years between 1974 and 1982. FRANS THIJSSEN

Midfielder: He.: 5-11, We.: 160, Age: 31, Citizen: Holland

One of the _ best midfielders in the game today, Frans Thijssen began his career with Dutch club NEC Nijmegen but was soon traded to VC Twente of Enschede where he played for five and a half years — while also being selected to the Dutch national squad.

He was spotted in 1979 by Bobby Robson, the former Vancouver Royals’ coach who was then

_ manager of Ipswich. In a

quick series of deals he bought Thijssen and Twente team-mate Arnold Muhren

(the latter now at Manchester United). Thijssen was named

Footballer of the Year in England following the 1980- 81 season, only the second foreigner ever to win the award in the 36 years it has been presented.

He and his wife Henrietta have two children.

Top teams heading west

The soccer fan will have himself a ball this year in the

Pacific Northwest, and especially night in Van- couver.

As the sport continues to make positive inroads into North America, top teams are heading in this direction.

On June 12, the national team of Scotland will make their first appearance in Vancouver, taking on the Canadian national team under Tony Waiters.

The Scots are promising to bring ajong their best calibre of players. “We always take our best,” says legendary manager Jock Stein, making this Canada's toughest in- ternational opponent.

The familiar blue jerseys and white shorts, the at- tacking, raiding sytle which always gives exciting cn-

4 ca GENTLEMAN

ENTRE

tertainment, will delight the many Scots from far and wide who are already making arrangements for the June date. One team of old Scots from Edmonton are already booked in with buses being chartered from dif- ferent locations in the in- terior.

The tartan army will be in full cry June 12.

And just before the Scots come to call, Seattle will be taking part in the Trans- Atlantic Challenge Cup with Cosmos as well as Fiorentina of Italy and the beautiful to watch Brazilians from Sao Paulo who boast a number of their World Cup team.

Sao Paulo plays Sounders May 30 and on June 1}, Fiorentina will visit the Kingdome.

And the national tcam of

A Iifetime membership in out

movie club at a reduction of 50% with presentation of this coupon

VIDEO RECORDER DUST COVER

Offer expires May 154

SUNNY WONG

116 East 3rd Scissor’s Edge

COIFFURES LTD

if you look good _ .

For your new Spring & Summer Look Come see our Friendly Staft

985-7168

the United States will be visitors here during the course of the NASL Season.

Team America will be looking for experience for the next couple of seasons aiming at the 1986 World Cup.

Canada and the United States are scheduled to link up in a what should be a great battle the week of Soccer Bowl, sometime the last week of September under the dome.

Then there is the Europac tournament set for August 2, 4, 6 with the People's Republic of China, In- ternacional of Brazil, Seattle and Whitecaps taking part in a round-robin series.

All-in-all, some pretty good soccer talent is going to be happening close to home in 1983.

So do we

$Q?5 986-1317