Vancouver United FC

Vancouver United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Vancouver, British Columbia and presently playing in the British Columbia Football League's Division Three. It is one of fifteen clubs never to have been relegated from the BC Football League since its establishment in 1929, and one of only three (as of 2020) to have won the FA Cup more than ten times.

Rivalries
Van United's rivalries with all clubs in the City of Vancouver run deep, but the deepest of all are those with Vancouver City (the City Derby), Kitsilano (the West Side Derby), and Vancouver Rowing Club (the Downtown Derby). There is also a significant antagonism between supporters of Van United and Burnaby Albion that originated in the two sides' meeting in the second round of the 1946 FA Cup.

Due to their black and white striped kits, opposition supporters derisively call Van United the Skunks.

* PL = penalty shootout loss; shootout wins are counted in wins column

History
The Vancouver United Football Club was established in 1901 when the owners of the Vancouver Daily World newspaper decided to turn the company's amateur football club into a professional team; this is the source of their common nickname, the Printers. They began play in 1902 in a stadium on Keefer Street (on the site of today's Andy Livingstone Park, where Vancouver United FC Women play their home matches. They played in the Western Football League until its merger into the Mainland Football League in 1918, and were assigned to Division One of the BC Football League at its formation in 1929.

In 1932, with the Daily World looking to sell the Keefer Street site, the owners entered into a deal with Vancouver City to share the latter's stadium in Hastings Park, which had an official capacity of 23,235, though often saw 30,000 on derby days. After the completion of 32,375-seat Empire Stadium for the 1954 British Empire & Commonwealth Games in 1953, both clubs moved into the new stadium for the 1954 season; it was modernised and expanded to seat 42,729 in 1977.

United finally returned to a stadium of their own after the opening in 1983 of BC Place in the heart of downtown Vancouver; built for the 1986 World Exposition and seating 60,342 under an air-supported fabric roof, it is owned by the Dominion government and operated by the BC Pavilion Company, a Crown corporation that also operates Commonwealth Stadium in Victoria, home of Victoria Athletic and the men's and women's national football teams of BC. In 2007 the fabric roof collapsed due to snowfall, leading to the reconstruction of the stadium with a new retractable roof; whilst the work was being done in 2010 and 2011, United returned to play at Empire Stadium until work was completed and they could return to the new 54,500 seat, ultramodern BC Place stadium.

League competition
United finished seventh in the first season of BCFL Division One competition, setting a club and league record that still stands today for fewest draws in a season: one, played at Keefer Street against Dinas Blaenau, and after barely avoiding relegation in 1930, finished as League runners-up for the first time in 1931 after a tight battle for second place between themselves and Dinas Blaenau, Rowing Club, and Langford Highlanders, with only two points separating the Printers (58 points) in second from the Rowers in fifth place (56 point); United were eleven points behind champions Royal City of New Westminster. After mid-table finishes over the next few seasons, they finished eleventh in 1935, four points behind Nanaimo City in tenth, and were relegated. The rest of the pre-war period was a roller-coaster for the Printers, being relegated to Division Three in 1937, finishing at an all-time club low of ninth in Division Three in 1939, winning promotion in 1940, and finishing last in Division Two in 1941 to be relegated once again.

Competition was suspended for the duration of the Pacific War from 1942 through 1945, during which time the club, together with Rowing Club, Vancouver City, and Royal City, organised an informal Lower Mainland Football League comprising teams that could travel to each others' venues by public transit. League play resumed in 1946 when United won the Division Three title again to earn a promotion back to Division Two. After four seasons finishing in the top half of the table, in 1951 they finished as runners-up and earned promotion to Division One, but finished last in 1952 and were immediately relegated again. 1953 saw the Printers finish as Division Two runners up, and in 1954 they finished eighth to retain their top-flight status, and finishing in the middle of the pack in the next few years before earning third-place honours in 1957 and 1958, and once again in 1963. Again returning to mid-table status, they finished ninth in 1965 whilst setting club records for most goals scored (75) and conceded (81) in a season, before being relegated again the following year, having finished tied for tenth place with Prince Rupert Regatta Club, but the latter had eight wins to United's seven. They then won Division Two the following year, returning to Division One for 1968 but finishing last and once again dropping down to Division Two; the relegation battle that year was tight, as the Printers had only two fewer points than tenth-placed Merritt City. A second-place finish in Division Two in 1969 meant yet another return to Division One, where in 1970 they not only avoided relegation but finished third. They survived in the top level until 1973, in which season there was no relegation due to the restructuring of the league for the following year. United did well in the first years of the reformed competition, finishing in the upper half of the table until finally winning their first League championship in 1977.

The 1980s and early 1990s have thus far been the high point of Van United's history. They were a lower-half team for a few years in the late 1970s, until winning third-place honours in 1982, finishing only one point behind runners-up Cassiar City and three behind champions Royal City. Two years later the Printers had another excellent season, finishing as League runners-up five points behind winners Richmond United and four ahead of third-placed Llangefni. They repeated this performance in 1985, finishing tied on points for first place with Nanaimo Thistle, but heartbreakingly, United had only nineteen wins compared to Thistle's twenty, giving the Islanders the championship title. Second place was won a third time running in 1986, United this time finishing five points behind champions Port Alberni Athletic. After a disappointing sixth in 1987, the end of the 1988 campaign saw United and Royal City tied for first place with 74 points each; the records win in the Printers' favour this time however, as their 23 wins were one more than the Hyacks' 22, giving United their second, and thus far last, League championship. They fought hard to defend their title in the following year but came up just short, finishing two points behind winners Port Alberni. They continued to play well over the next five years, finishing as runners-up in 1989, 1991, and 1993 and third in 1990, but they have not had a top three finish since then. United closed out the twentieth century in Division One, but the second half of the 1990s saw a gradual decline in their performance; in 1999, the thirtieth anniversary of their return to the top flight, they finished with fewer than ten wins for the first time since 1972, and in 2000 they finished last, ending a three-decade stretch of Division One football for Vancouver United.

In 2002 United finished third in Division Two, earning a place in the D1 Promotion Play-offs, but failed to win a game and managed only three draws, finishing last in the group and failing to earn promotion to Division One. The next year, however, they won the Division title eight points ahead of second-placed Barriere Railway, earning direct promotion back to the top division. The next several years saw lower-half finishes, barely avoiding relegation in 2006 by finishing sixteenth, two points ahead of Dinas Blaenau in seventeenth place; the following year was marginally better as they finished fifteenth. But 2008 saw a remarkable turnaround, as after the final matchday the Printers found themselves in a four-way tie for third place with Grand Forks, Royal Oak Hotspur, and Yellowhead, each with 57 points. The latter two finished fifth and sixth respectively, as they had had only fourteen wins, and Spurs had the better goal differential; United and Grand Forks each had fifteen wins and nine draws, but Grand Forks had a +10 goal differential compared to United's +8, giving the Dukes third place honours and leaving United in fourth. Disappointing it may have been, it was nevertheless a spectacular improvement over the previous few years. The success proved to be an aberration, however, as they returned to the bottom half of the table over the next few years and were again relegated after finishing seventeenth in 2012, finishing only two points behind Kelowna Central in sixteenth and safety.

After a respectable sixth-place finish in Division Two in 2013, in 2014 United collapsed completely, winning only six of 34 and finishing last, five points behind seventeenth-placed Royal Oak, who were also relegated. After finishing sixth in Division Three in 2015, 2016 began with two draws and eight losses in the first ten games; their first win came on matchday eleven, a 4:1 win over Royal Oak - their first defeat of the season, as in the first ten Spurs had recorded nine wins and a draw; United finished fourteenth on the season. 2017 in turn was far better, finishing with fifteen wins and 53 points to find themselves tied for second with cross-town rivals Shaughnessy Shamrocks; United had the better goal differential and thus claimed runner-up honours, and were entered into the D2 Promotion Play-offs. In the quarter-finals of the play-offs they faced Shaughnessy at home. Eighteen minutes in the Shamrocks took the lead, which lasted until just after the hour mark, when United equalised; the Printers scored their second in the 81st minute and added a third seven minutes later to take a 3:1 away win back to BC Place for the return leg, which ended in a 1:1 draw to send United through to the semi-finals with a 3:1 aggregate win. Next up was a West Side Derby as United hosted Kitsilano at BC Place in the first leg of the semis, dropping the decision 0:1 to Kits; in the return leg at Thunderbird Stadium, however, the Printers ran away with a 3:0 win to advance to the final with another 3:1 aggregate score. The single-game final pitted them against Dawson Creek, and United once again played to a 3:1 victory, clinching the second promotion spot and returning to Division Two for the following season.

United's Division Two stay lasted only a season as they were immediately relegated after a last-place finish, and in 2019 they avoided finishing in the relegation play-off spot by only two points. 2020, however, was much better, finishing fourth - only one point behind Aberystwyth and Shaughnessy, who were tied on 52 points for second place; Aberystwyth had one win more than Shaughnessy, however, placing them second and Shamrocks third.

Season-by-season
This is a complete listing of the club's performances in British Columbia Football League competition.

FA Cup
Van United first played in the FA Cup in 1905, reaching the Final for the first time in 1915 but losing 2:3 to Royal City; they returned the following year, this time crushing Endako Village 5:0, who had made a surprising run to reach the Final. 1919 saw the first of four consecutive Final appearances, and marked their second Cup win in an edition of the West Side Derby, defeating Kitsilano FC 2:1; the following year, they lost 1:3 to Victoria Athletic. In 1921 they avenged the 1915 loss to Royal City with an exciting 4:3 win, then defended their title in 1922 by beating Royal Oak Hotspur of Victoria 1:0. That was the Printers' last appearance in a Final before the restructuring of the competition in 1929.

After several early exits following the introduction of the new format, Van United returned to the last eight in 1933, but lost in extra time to Royal Oak. More early exits followed, and back-to-back relegations meant that by 1938 the Printers were starting in the first round. They did not advance past the fourth round before competition was suspended in 1942 due to the outbreak of the Pacific War.

The return to play in 1946 brought little change to the fortunes of United, with early exits being the norm until 1948, when they reached the fourth round, playing Llangefni to a 0:0 draw, forcing a replay at Hastings Park which the Printers lost 0:1 after extra time. 1949 was better as they defeated Burnaby 2:1 away in the third round and non-league Northfield FC of Nanaimo 1:0 away in the fourth, reaching the fifth round but losing to Division One side Kelowna Central 3:2 at home. Promotion to Division One meant starting in the fourth round in 1952, but the Printers lost to Alberni Town 0:1 away in the fifth. Cup performance through 1956 was abysmal, even despite returning to Division One.

1957 looked to be a similar story to the previous years as the Printers had a difficult time against non-league Shaughnessy Shamrocks in the fourth round - a match in which tensions between supporters were high, as Shaughnessy is one of the richest "old money" neighbourhoods of Vancouver, whilst United were at that point in history still representative of the working class (from the 1970s, as more international business began to take place in downtown Vancouver and office blocks began to replace industrial buildings, support shifted and United are now the "business class" side); extra time was needed for United to squeak out with a 3:2 win. The fifth round saw an instalment of the Downtown Derby as the Printers visited Rowing Club at Brockton Oval in Vancouver's Stanley Park; this time they had the run of the pitch as they played to a comfortable 2:0 win to advance to the quarter-finals. Facing Llangefni again, as in their meeting in 1948 the first match ended in a draw, forcing a replay in which the away side won yet again - but this time it was United winning in Llangefni by a 3:2 scoreline to send them through to the semi-finals. For the third time in four rounds it was another City of Vancouver matchup as the Printers faced Grandview AFC of Division Three, comfortably winning the first leg 2:0 at Hastings Park before playing to a 1:1 draw away to secure a 3:1 aggregate victory, advancing United to the FA Cup Final for the first time since 1922. And yet again, a Vancouver derby, this time the most intense one: the City Derby with Van City. Unfortunately United came up short, losing 0:2 to the arch-rivals. The two met again in the quarter-finals the following year, with City winning once again, this time by a score of 2:1.

The next quarter-final appearance came in 1960, after United had defeated Chilliwack Town 3:1 away in the fourth round and Dinas Blaenau 4:1 away in the fifth, advancing them to the quarters for another Downtown Derby, losing 2:4 away to Rowing Club to the dismay of the United supporters. The Printers reached the semi-finals rather comfortably in 1961, where their opponents were Division Three Secwépemc United of Kamloops who had made a wonderfully surprising run to reach the last four. The first leg was played at Empire Stadium, and United reminded everyone of the difference between the first and third divisions by easily dismantling the visitors by a 4:1 score; the return leg in Kamloops was no different, with United winning 3:0 to clinch the series with a 7:1 aggregate win to return to the final after a four-year absence. Facing them were Kelowna Central, who had beaten Van City in a quarter-final replay before dispatching Nanaimo Thistle in the semis. United were the superior side on the day, winning 2:0 and lifting the FA Cup for the first time in 39 years.

Disappointing early exits over the next several years were reflective of United's League play too, ultimately being relegated from Division One in 1966; consequently, as a Division Two side they began the 1967 Cup campaign in the second round with a crushing 6:1 victory over non-league Bella Coola United, followed by wins over Smithers & Telkwa United, Cumberland Collieries, and Kelowna Central to reach the quarter-finals to face Rowing Club once again, this time at home, and this time winning an emphatic 3:1 victory in front of an ecstatic Empire Stadium crowd. Facing Fort George in the semi-finals, the Printers pulled off a 3:2 win away in the first leg, but lost 1:2 at home in the return leg; with the aggregate score being 4:4, away goals decided the winner, sending United back to the Final again, to a disappointing 0:1 loss to Nanaimo Thistle.

Promoted back to Division One again for 1970, United entered the 1971 Cup competition in the fourth round and immediately dispatched Vic Athletic with a 3:1 away win, following that up with a 2:1 win in Prince Rupert over Regatta Club, and continuing the run with a 2:1 home win over the Welshmen from Llangefni in the quarter-finals. The Printers travelled north to Kitimat to face Kitimat & Kemano United in the first leg of the semi-final; the Electricians, who had dropped to Division Two by this point, were little match for the Vancouverites and lost 0:3; a 1:0 win for United in the return leg at Empire Stadium sealed the trip to the Final with a 4:0 aggregate score. It was another City Derby at Empire Stadium in the Final, with United drawn as the home side. Still scoreless at half time, the Printers finally opened the scoring with a goal from a free kick in the 71st minute, but the Reds weren't about to give up, and equalised on 83' to send the game into extra time for City to win it 2:1 with a goal scored in the third minute of the second half of extra time. United's tenth appearance in the FA Cup Final had been unsuccessful.

After disappointing early exits in the years between 1971 and 1974, the 1975 Cup campaign started off with another big away win in the fourth round, this time 4:2 over Quesnel United. United followed that up with a pair of 3:1 victories, first at home against Richmond United in the fifth round, and then away - after extra time - against Regatta Club in the quarter-finals. A fine 2:0 home win over Victoria Athletic kicked off the semi-finals, which was followed by a 1:1 draw in Victoria to send the Printers through to the Final with a 3:1 aggregate score. The first FA Cup Final to be held at Victoria's new Centennial Stadium was a rather lacklustre affair, but United managed to earn a 2:1 victory over Secwépemc United to hoist the cup for the sixth time. The following year, after having a bit of a difficult time beating D2 PG Army - needing to win the penalty shootout 4:2 after a 2:2 draw after 120 minutes - United beat Kamloops City 3:1 away in the fifth round and Fort George 3:0 away in the quarter-final to reach the semi-finals for the second year running, where they faced another Division Two side, Courtenay Athletic; the first leg ended in a 2:0 away win for the Printers before they played a 0:0 draw at home, finishing with a 2:0 aggregate score to book a place in the Final for the second time in as many years. Their opponents were to be the same club that they had faced the first time they reached the Final in 1915 - Royal City, who had defeated the previous year's other finalist, Secwépemc United, 4:1 in the fifth round, Llangefni 2:1 in the quarter-final, and slaughtered Nanaimo Thistle in the semi-final with an 8:3 aggregate score; they had also finished second in the League behind champions Van City and were the favourites to win. But on the day, the Printers played intelligent, disciplined football, scoring twice in the first half and holding on for a 2:1 win, defending their Cup title successfully and winning back-to-back Cups for the first time since 1921 and 1922.

Early exits in 1977 and 1978 were followed by another run to the Final in 1979, dispatching Quesnel United, Fort George, and Nanaimo Thistle on the way to the semi-finals, where the Printers faced Alberni Town. A 2:0 win at home followed by a 1:1 draw in Port Alberni sent United through to the Final again, once again facing the arch-nemesis Van City. 120 minutes ended with the score level at one each, forcing a replay which the Reds dominated, winning 3:0. After ignominiously losing in the fourth round 0:4 away at Fort George in 1980, United defeated Kitimat & Kemano United 3:1 away in the fourth round, then avenged the 1979 Final defeat by beating Van City 2:0 in the fifth. Another rival was beaten in the quarter-final, when the Printers defeated Burnaby Albion 2:0, then they proceeded to defeat Llangefni in the semi-finals, winning 2:0 at home and 1:0 away; however, they came up short again in the Final, losing 2:3 to Cassiar City.

Following the pattern of the previous three years, United were eliminated in the quarter-finals in 1982 and 1983, followed by a run in 1984 in which they defeated Rowing Club 2:0 in the fourth round, Ashcroft United 3:0 away in the fifth, and Wellington 1:0 in the quarter-finals. Facing Fort George in the semis, they lost 0:1 at home in the first leg, but in the return leg in Prince George, after 90 minutes ended scoreless, the Printers netted three in extra time to reach the Final for the fifteenth time. Facing them were Nanaimo Thistle, who were handled easily by United; the match ended 2:0 for the mainlanders to seal their eighth FA Cup title. They ran through to the Final again in 1985, sweeping aside Wellington, Ulh’katcho, Nanaimo Thistle, and Regatta Club to face Van City once again, in the last Cup Final to be held at Centennial Stadium - and once again, the game ended a draw, this time scoreless, forcing a replay as had been the case when the two had met in the 1979 final; this time, however, United came out on top, scoring the only goal of the match in the 117th minute to defend their title for a third time in club history.

1988 saw United defeat Nanaimo Thistle 3:0 in the quarter-finals to meet Van City in the semis; the Reds won the first leg 1:0 at BC Place, whilst in the return leg at Empire Stadium, the Printers came out winners with a 2:0 score to advance to the Final once again with a 2:1 aggregate score. Since 1986 the Final had been played at BC Place, so United were more than just technically the home team as they defeated Fort George 2:1 to lift the Cup for the tenth time and joining Van City and Royal City as one the only teams to have won the FA Cup ten times or more. United next reached the semi-finals in 1993, losing 1:2 on aggregate to Llangefni, who went on to defeat their cross-town arch-rivals Dinas Blaenau. The following season went one better as they defeated Nanaimo Thistle in the semi-finals with a 2:0 aggregate score to reach the Final, defeating Port Alberni 2:0 to win their eleventh FA Cup title, tying both Royal City and Van City for the most Cup wins; Royal City took sole possession of that record by winning their twelfth in 1996. United have not reached the Final since that time.

Season-by-season
This is a listing of the club's performances in FA Cup competition since 1929.

Season-by-season
This is a listing of the club's performances in British Columbia Super Cup competition since 1991.

Honours and records

 * Super Cup
 * Runners-up: 1995


 * FA Cup
 * Winners: 1916, 1919, 1921, 1922, 1961, 1975, 1976, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1994
 * Runners-up: 1915, 1920, 1957, 1967, 1971, 1979, 1981


 * Division One
 * Winners: 1977, 1988
 * Runners-up: 1931, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993
 * Third placed: 1957, 1958, 1963, 1970, 1982, 1990


 * Division Two
 * Winners: 1967, 2003
 * Runners-up: 1951, 1953, 1969
 * Third placed: 2002


 * Division Three
 * Winners: 1940, 1946
 * Runners-up: 2017


 * Highest league position: 1st
 * D1 (1977, 1988)


 * Lowest league position: 15th
 * D3 (2019)


 * Most points in a season: 74
 * D1, 1988


 * Fewest points in a season: 17
 * D2, 1941


 * Most goals scored in a season: 75
 * D1, 1965


 * Fewest goals scored in a season: 17
 * D1, 2007


 * Most goals conceded in a season: 81
 * D1, 1965


 * Fewest goals conceded in a season: 17
 * D2, 2002


 * Most wins in a season: 23
 * D1, 1988


 * Fewest wins in a season: 3
 * D2, 1941
 * D1, 2000


 * Most draws in a season: 17
 * D2, 2002


 * Fewest draws in a season: 1
 * D1, 1929


 * Most losses in a season: 19
 * D2, 1941


 * Fewest losses in a season: 3
 * D3, 1946


 * Most games won in a row (to 2001): 11
 * D1, 1977


 * Most games lost in a row (to 2001): 7
 * D1, 1996


 * Most games without losing (to 2001): 14
 * D1, 1981


 * Most games without winning (to 2001): 18
 * D1, 2000


 * Biggest win: 6 goals
 * 6:0 v Bella Coola Utd, 1953 FA Cup 2nd Round
 * 6:0 v Aberystwyth, 1983 FA Cup 5th Round
 * 6:0 v Yellowhead, D1, 1999


 * Biggest league win (to 2001): 6 goals
 * 6:0 v Yellowhead, D1, 1999


 * Biggest defeat: 5 goals
 * 1:6 v Nanaimo Thistle, D1, 1960
 * 0:5 v Kelowna Central, D1, 1968


 * Highest scoring game: 10 goals
 * 6:4 v Regatta Club, D1, 1965


 * Highest scoring league game (to 2001): 10 goals
 * 6:4 v Regatta Club, D1, 1965


 * Deepest cup run: Final - 1915, 1916 (winners), 1919 (winners), 1920, 1921 (winners), 1922 (winners), 1957, 1961 (winner), 1967, 1971, 1975 (winner), 1976 (winner), 1979, 1981, 1984 (winner), 1985 (winner), 1988 (winner), 1994 (winner)