THIS DAY IN HISTORY: SEPTEMBER 12, 1979
Vancouver Whitecap Carl Valentine celebrated the team’s North American Soccer League championship by dancing at the Daddy Long Legs disco in North Vancouver. Valentine, who first pulled on a professional jersey for Oldham of the English Second Division in 1976, was classified a NASL rookie in that 1979 season, although he started regularly on the right side of midfield for a team that was 20- 10 over the regular season and made a spine- tingling run in the playoffs. Featuring the likes of English League veterans Phil Parkes in goal, midfielder Alan Ball, colourful Scottish winger Willie Johnston and Canadian fullbacks Bob Lenarduzzi and Bob Bolitho, the Whitecaps would go on to defeat the vaunted New York Cosmos in a marathon threegame series for the National Conference championship, before recording a 2- 1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the Soccer Bowl at Giants Stadium in New Jersey. Although Valentine went on to play for other teams, he would spend most of his career in Vancouver, winning four Canadian Soccer League championships with the Vancouver 86ers. He became a Canadian citizen and wore the Maple Leaf at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. His No. 21 jersey was retired at Swangard Stadium in 1999 during “Valentine’s Day” in May.” He was, arguably, the best allaround player ever to wear a Canadian or Vancouver soccer jersey. “He was the type of player I would have paid money to go and watch,” Lenarduzzi told The Sun at Valentine’s retirement announcement. “He was the Pavel Bure of his era — long before this town ever heard of Pavel Bure. And the bonus is that he’s staying in Vancouver. Obviously, Carl distinguished himself on the field over the 20 years that he’s been here. But in addition to that, I don’t think there’s another athlete in the city who has put as much time into the community as Carl has. It’s a side of his character and commitment that maybe isn’t as well known.” Today, Valentine is a Vancouver Whitecaps FC ambassador.