Chris Dangerfield and the Original Portland Timbers

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Soccer in the Seventies Chris Dangerfield and the Original Portland Timbers

by Michael Orr and Morgen Young

With the Portland Timbers’ Dangerfield played in the NASL ascent this year to Major League Soc- between 1975 and 1984, wearing the cer, the current highest level of North uniforms of seven clubs in his ten American soccer, reflection on the first seasons. Born in the suburbs of Timbers team and the North American Birmingham, England, Dangerfield Soccer League (NASL) is apt. Prior to became a professional with Wolver- the Timbers’ establishment in 1975, hampton Wanderers of England’s Portland featured mostly minor league First Division at age sixteen. He was baseball and hockey teams, and the capped three times (that is, played Trail Blazers of the National Basketball in three international matches) as an Association (NBA) had not yet won England Under-20 before going on their famous 1977 championship. For loan to the Portland Timbers in 1975. a professional team from Portland to Two summers in Portland convinced reach the final of their league — as the young Dangerfield that his future the Timbers did in 1975 — was quite a in soccer was in the United States, and novelty for Portlanders and certainly he spent the rest of his playing career contributed to the city’s overwhelm- on the West Coast, appearing in over ing support for the team. Chris Dan- 400 games and scoring over 150 goals. gerfield was a member of that team, In 1992, as coach of San Jose Oaks, and his memories of the season help Dangerfield won the U.S. Open Cup, explain how soccer was established as the longest-running club tournament a viable professional sport in Portland.1 in the United States. He was one of

The authors are co-curators of Soccer City USA: The Portland Timbers and the NASL Years, 1975–82, an exhibition showing at the Oregon Historical Society until September 4, 2011.

Young Timbers supporters and Boy Scouts hang banners on the outfield wall at Civic Stadium. The “Soccer City, USA” moniker was adopted during the 1975 season and has been used in Portland ever since.

hundreds of players who came from land from the West Midlands region outside the United States to play in of England, where he had played and the NASL. coached during the middle decades The NASL was founded in 1968 and, of the twentieth century. Dangerfield until its collapse after the 1984 season, was one of five players to come from was the pinnacle of professional soc- Wolverhampton Wanderers, one of cer in the United States and Canada. several clubs from the Birmingham Star players from Europe and South area represented in the early Timbers America flocked to the NASL, par- teams. Many NASL Timbers players, ticularly during the late 1970s, before including Dangerfield, were on loan big spending and small gate receipts for the summer. That experience led to financial instability, the folding helped establish Portland’s interna- of individual clubs, and, ultimately, tional reputation when they returned the demise of the league itself. The to their home clubs each fall. Portland Timbers joined the NASL Dangerfield’s time in Portland, in 1975 and played through the 1982 though short, highlights the birth of season, always featuring British play- soccer culture in the Rose City. As ers like Dangerfield. The club’s first fans learned about the sport with each manager was Vic Crowe, a Welshman passing game, the Timbers themselves who brought many players to Port- became ingrained as a part of the sport

Orr and Young, Chris Dangerfield and the Original Portland Timbers  for Portlanders. The early crowds and Dangerfield shares the fun he had in advent of the Booster Club in 1976 the summers of 1975 and 1976 to help were the forerunners of the large- the newest generation of Portland scale soccer support surrounding the soccer fans appreciate the path that modern Timbers. NASL teams and has led to the Timbers’ position in the players were most successful when sporting culture. there were personal interactions in the The following excerpts are from a community. Dangerfield and his fellow September 29, 2010, interview with British teammates were importantly Chris Dangerfield that is part of a both good on the field and strong wide-reaching oral history project by ambassadors for the sport and the FC Media to document the memo- team. Despite being just a teenager, ries and stories of NASL-era players, Dangerfield recognized the value of coaches, and fans. With a dearth of these interactions and reveals that they long-form interviews and even less were just as significant in Portland as general recognition of the history having a winning team. The need for outside the biggest names, the oral such day-by-day building of a soccer history collection will serve as the basis culture is no longer a necessary part of research and further inquiry on the of the lives of the modern Timbers era of soccer that established the sport players, yet the tradition of the rela- in the United States and provided the tionships with city and fans remains. foundations for current clubs

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Morgen Young: Could you walk players came from in and around the me through how you came to play for Birmingham area, and that’s where the Timbers? Who recruited you? Vic Crowe was. Vic Crowe was the manager of Aston Villa for many years. Chris Dangerfield: If you look He played here in the old NASL with at the background of clubs that the Atlanta and knew Phil Woosman, who players came from in the first year was the president [Commissioner] of of 1975, most of them came around the league. Crowe was offered the Port- from an area of England called the land job and when he went looking for Midlands. The capital is basically players, he basically went to his own Birmingham and there were five of backyard and brought us from there. us that came from Wolverhampton, which is just outside of Birmingham. Young: And Wolverhampton didn’t Mickey Hoban, Brian Godfrey, Willie have a problem with you going on loan Anderson, Tony Betts and Barry Lynch and going to North America? all had roots in Aston Villa. Ray Martin came from Birmingham City. Tommy Dangerfield: I was the youngest McLaren came from Port Vale. All the of the crew, the youngest of us all. The

Chis Dangerfield (13) celebrates with Tony Betts (14) and Graham Day after scoring the match-winning goal against the Vancouver Whitecaps on July 3, 1975.

two players who were more established I were the same age; we came through at the Wolves at the time were Barry the youth system together. Barry and Powell and Peter Withe. The others Jimmy were one year ahead of us were just reserve team players. I had in the youth system and Peter came just finished playing for the England in from South Africa. And so we all youth team, the under-18s. I was a played together that previous year in little bit knocking on the manager’s the reserve teams. When we came over door saying “I want to play, give me we were certainly familiar with our a chance.” So I think he got rid of me style of play, having played with each for a few months. other. We were also certainly aware of the other players who were brought in. Young: So you were familiar with Willie Anderson played at Manchester Barry Powell and Peter Withe before United. Brian Godfrey was the captain you became their teammate at Port- of Aston Villa when I was a kid. So, it land? was a great opportunity to play with those guys as well. . . . I think most of Dangerfield: We trained and us came on the same plane. We came played together, the five of us — Don- over in a two or three day period to a ald Gardner, Jimmy Kelly, Barry Pow- very rainy Portland. But we had left a ell, Peter Withe and I. Donald, Jimmy, rainy Birmingham, so it didn’t make Barry and I were all youth. Donald and much difference.

Orr and Young, Chris Dangerfield and the Original Portland Timbers  Young: Did anyone greet you at the Young: Was there any culture shock airport in Portland? being a teenager in the U.S.?

Dangerfield: Yes, amazingly so. Dangerfield: There were a few. There was a booster club of sorts The first was the size of the car they that was there, in Portland green. gave us, which was one of those large We were very quickly introduced to cars with a bench seat in the front. people we’d never met before. They Everything was power steering and were very pleasant and seemed to be it took you three days to park it. And wanting to do anything they possibly then the stores were different. We all could for us. And they certainly did. remembered the first time we went Within the next few hours and over shopping to buy steaks and they were the next couple of days they had taken huge. We wondered how could we pos- us shopping, they had given us a car, sibly eat all that, but we did. Everything they’d settled us into the apartments, just seemed to be bigger and new and taken us to dinner. I thought I’d died just different. We really enjoyed the and gone to heaven! first few days of sort of acclimatizing ourselves in that respect. Young: Had you heard of the league [NASL] before you came over? Young: Were you treated differently because you were one of the youngest Dangerfield: No, it was all new. It was all brand new really because players? the league, although it started in 1974 Dangerfield: I wasn’t so much the [the NASL was founded in 1968 but youngest, I was just one of the single suffered from severe financial dif- players. We were divided into single ficulties until the 1974 season], 1975 guys and married guys. The guys who was the first big year of the league. were married, and their wives, made It was an opportunity for all of us to us feel more than welcome. They made play over the summer and get some sure we were taken care of in the early extra games in. The fact that it was in days, as did the [sponsor] families like a different country, at that particular the Gilbertsons and the Wicks. They time, never really came into it. It was were generous, not only with their just a chance to go and get some play- time, but also with their homes. We ing time in with some good players were taken care of by the other guys that were, in what I was promised, in a until we found our legs. competitive league. This all came from Vic [Crowe], through my manager at Young: Can you describe a typical Wolverhampton, who said “You need training session with Vic Crowe and to go over here and get some experi- Leo Crowther? ence.” So, that’s what I did. We all seemed to think it was just something Dangerfield: Vic was an extremely you’d do for a couple months and then tough manager. I believe he wasn’t sure go back and play for Wolves. what to expect within the league. He

 OHQ vol. 112, no. 2 wanted to make sure that his team was tight and short. They were the shortest extremely well prepared and fit. And shorts you’ve ever seen in your life. You so we ran and ran. As we got bigger look at uniforms now and their shorts crowds later in the season, we were are all long and baggy, and ours were attending after-game parties and Vic short and tight. would see the lads were having a beer or two. In training the next day, you Young: They weren’t any shorter were running again to make sure that than the shorts you were wearing in you were ready for the next game. It England, were they? was fun and we enjoyed it a lot, but we Dangerfield: They seemed to took it very seriously and Vic certainly be. It was an Adidas kit. It was a nice took it very seriously. The trainings uniform. We used to go through shoes were always competitive and tough. really quickly, because they just didn’t last on that pitch. They had not, at Young: Could you describe the that particular time, designed a soccer field? shoe for Astro Turf. They had foot- Dangerfield: The pitch was like ball shoes and baseball shoes, but we something we’d never seen before. It couldn’t use those. We were playing was as wide as it was long. It crowned in trainers, green trainers with yellow in the middle and took a dip on the stripes. We would go through a pair other side. If you were sitting on the of those a day. bench, you couldn’t actually see Jimmy Young: What did you think about Kelly except halfway up his head. The being a Timber? Had you ever heard pitch was Astro Turf, so there were new of a Timber before you came over? things to get used to. The ball would do certain things on the turf; it would skip Dangerfield: I thought we had and run quickly. But, I think it suited a strange name and a strange crest, our style of play because we were very something completely different com- energetic. We kept the ball moving pared to England. I remember the and passed it well, so the pitch actually first year collecting all the pennants suited us. And the fact that the field from the NASL teams because we felt was so wide really suited us because like it was an opportunity we prob- we had two of the best wide players in ably wouldn’t have again, to see these the league, Willie Anderson and Jimmy places. We didn’t necessarily have Kelly. Our trainer, Ron Culp, was the cheerleaders, but other places did. We trainer for the Trail Blazers. If you got certainly had fanatical fans. a rug burn from the turf, he had this red spray that he would sneak up on Young: Could you elaborate on the you [so you] wouldn’t get an infection. fan culture?

Young: Describe the uniform. Dangerfield: Well, the whole thing grew, didn’t it? We had perhaps Dangerfield: You’ve seen it. It was a few thousand people at the first

Orr and Young, Chris Dangerfield and the Original Portland Timbers  Courtesy of Tony Betts Courtesy of Tony

The Portland Timbers await the national anthem at midfield ahead of their final regular season home game, on July 29, 1975, against the San Jose Earthquakes.

game against Seattle. It rained that the word about soccer. We knew that night. We lost one-nothing and there was part of what we needed to do to was a big pile of mud that used to be successful off the field, as far as the be a baseball diamond right under crowds were concerned. Vic made sure the goal. We pounded them, but we we did that. Everywhere I went, even couldn’t score. I think we all came out after Portland, you wanted that kind of that thinking “What are we doing of community, to get connected with here?” But, then we started to win. the fans. After games, we would always The fans grew more and more; they do a lap of honor and thank the fans. sort of grew with us. They certainly That just wasn’t something you did in enjoyed watching us and so we all England at the time. It was all about know that there were massive crowds selling the game on top of actually at the end. After we’d been there about having to play well. a month, it started to really kick in. Young: After every home game You’d be recognized outside of the would there be an after-party at the stadium. We did a lot of work in the Hilton or The Benson? community as well. Every morning we’d do assemblies at schools; we’d Dangerfield: Yes, absolutely. They juggle for little Johnny’s birthday; or were a lot of fun. I was 19 at the time do whatever we could to try to spread and so, theoretically I was not allowed

 OHQ vol. 112, no. 2 to go into bars, et cetera. But my best summer. Did you think it was a special friend, who I’m still best friends with season? now and lives with me in San Jose, Nick Nicolas, he was one of the Ameri- Dangerfield: Absolutely, to go can players we had on the team. He through what we did that first year. took my English driving license and Every part of it was fun; it always is typed it in to make me 21 and I was when you’re winning. We did things just golden, so it was just fine. like hang out with the Trail Blazers. In 1976, Bill Walton used to come to our Young: How did you get along with trainings and hang out with us on the the other Americans on the team? bench. We went to a party one time Roger Goldingay and Dave Landry. with the local ballet company at the house of Mildred Schwab.2 You know, Dangerfield: We were a close she was one of our biggest fans. team. It really wasn’t Americans ver- sus Europeans at all. I think in later Young: I did know that. I also know teams I’ve played in, there may have that Graham Day kissed her! been that, because the whole league changed. Rightfully or wrongfully, at Dangerfield: He did, he honestly the end of the day, Vic as the manager did. She was standing there, as we could pick the team and he didn’t have went out the tunnel on the field [at to play any American players. That Civic Stadium]. Graham used to [do] slowly changed over the growth of the off the wall things at any time. You league and rightfully so. I think it was never knew what he was going to do a very important step in the develop- when he woke up that morning. As ment of the US soccer players. Very the announcers called his name out, quickly we started having players like he suddenly turned, grabbed Mildred, Bob Rigby, Ricky Davis, Bobby Smith, pulled her down onto the stretcher of who all played for the Cosmos. They the ambulance, gave her a kiss, picked were great American players. But in her up again and ran on the field. We the first couple of years, you didn’t had no idea why he did it. have to do that. Later years, where there was a more of a competition for Young: But she was your biggest the starting spots for the teams, they fan, right? had to play two Americans or play four Dangerfield: She was amazing, Americans. It didn’t exist the first year. absolutely amazing. I think we were all sort of enjoying the success we had and it didn’t matter if Young: Could you tell us a little you were American, British, yellow, about the league? green or black. Dangerfield: The NASL was an Young: Some of the other play- unbelievable league to play in. You ers, especially Willie Anderson, have would see different cities and in each described that ’75 season as a magical city, different weather, different types

Orr and Young, Chris Dangerfield and the Original Portland Timbers  of people and different styles of play. Everybody was playing in the same You could be playing at home in Ore- color. We won 2-1. It was a great night. gon, on Astro Turf and in the rain, then travel to Los Angeles and play in eighty Young: What do you remember degrees on grass. Then next week you from the playoff game against Seattle 4 could play in snow in Toronto, then fly in 1975? to Miami and it would be ninety-five Dangerfield: I remember that degrees with humidity. And everyone the commentators wore awful jack- played different styles of soccer. We ets, some of the worst I’d ever seen. I were a predominantly English team believe one of them was Cliff McCrath. but we could be playing against Lati- I remember thinking that the field nos in Miami, who were playing a looked really wide. I actually thought different type of soccer on a different we played quite well. It was a com- surface, in a different environment. petitive game. The game against the Another thing about the NASL was the [Seattle] Sounders I always remember level of competition. I believe many because we won in overtime. I came players, when they first came over to off the field and Tony Betts came on America to play in the league, be it and scored. Rodney Marsh, George Best or Johan Cruyff, came over thinking the league Young: Did you feel like there was a wouldn’t be too challenging. But, they rivalry between Seattle and Portland? quickly found out that there was a good standard of play and they had to Dangerfield: Definitely. You cer- be prepared to put a shift in. tainly wear your shirts with pride. We were proud to play for the Portland Young: Can you tell me something Timbers. I know the Seattle players about road games, perhaps the trip to felt the same way about playing for the New York? Sounders. Now maybe a lot of that was just instigated by the fans, but at the Dangerfield: We went to New end of the day, you didn’t want to let York and played at Randall’s Island. them down, not in a big game like the The story goes, and it wasn’t any dif- quarterfinal. So nobody left anything ferent when we played there, that they on that field that night. used to go through it before a game and take the broken glass off the field Young: Any other memories about because it was part of the prison. the playoff series and that champi- Even before Pele’s first game, they did onship game against the Tampa Bay 3 that. It rained during our game. We Rowdies? were playing in dark green and the Cosmos were in white. They painted Dangerfield: There was a tre- the dirt green so it would look good mendous crowd against St. Louis and on TV. With all the rain, by the end of a massive crowd against Seattle. Both the game, most people were in green. were hard games. When I look back,

Chris Dangerfield challenges Arfon Griffriths (3) of the Seattle Sounders on August 2, 1975, at Seattle’s Memorial Stadium.

I’m proud of the fact that I was a young son], we couldn’t get the ball to Jimmy player and I was starting. I was playing [Kelly] and it just didn’t suit us. If we’d in the midfield with Barry [Powell] have played Tampa Bay at a field with and trying to [get] the ball to Willie another ten yards of width, we’d have [Anderson] and Peter Withe. It was won the championship. just fun, the first year. The fact that we Young: Was there an issue that the got to the final was just a wonderful playoffs maybe extended past your achievement for us and for Vic. But, at loan deal with Wolverhampton? That’s the end of the day it was a tremendous something that other players have told disappointment. I just don’t think we us, that they got in trouble because played well in the final. The field didn’t their loan contracts should have had suit our style of play. It’s a narrow field them going back before the playoffs. with no room to go. I happened to play for many years at San Jose for the Dangerfield: Yes, it became a bit Earthquakes and it was our home field. of an issue. By the end of the season, It suited us great because we’d press in some cases, there were bigger and and get a goal up, then we’d sit back better things to move on to. Peter and we’d counter. We [the Timbers] [Withe] had been offered a position couldn’t get the ball to Willie [Ander- at Birmingham City. They wanted him

Orr and Young, Chris Dangerfield and the Original Portland Timbers  back. The Wolves wanted us back. The Young: Why did you like Portland other clubs wanted different players so much? You played for other NASL back. But, we didn’t want to go back. teams in other cities, is this city dif- We wanted to finish the season. ferent?

Young: So when the season ended, Dangerfield: I was lucky because I how soon afterwards did you go back played in Portland, Las Vegas, Hawaii, to England and Wolverhampton? Los Angeles and San Jose, all good places to play. I’ve made my home I went back straight- Dangerfield: in San Jose. But I love going back to away. The seasons sort of dovetailed Portland. I’m coaching a U.S. Soccer into each other. So, we were straight Academy team that used to come up back into playing in England. For me, and play against FC Portland. I take I’d gone from playing the last month any chance I get to stop in Portland in Portland playing before crowds of and see Mick and Linda Hoban or see 30,000 fans, playing in a final and all Tony [Betts] or Jimmy [Kelly]. the adoration that came with that to playing in the reserves at the Wolves. Young: When you played for the I wasn’t particularly happy. When the other NASL teams, do you have any offer came to go back to Portland for memories of playing against Portland? the second year, I jumped at it. Dangerfield: Only memories of Young: Was it different in 1976? beating the Timbers. The team that took over after I left, with Clyde Best, Dangerfield: Yes. I think Vic was Stewart Scullion and the other guys, getting to a point where he wanted to was a good team. But, 1975 really was, be involved but not full-time, running and it usually is in sports, a tremen- the whole thing. He brought in Brian dously magical first year. Everything Tiler as well as some different faces. clicked. Everything went right and no We weren’t as successful. The expecta- tion of the crowd was certainly greater matter how you try to repeat it, it’s than it was the first time we stepped impossible to do unless you’re like the on the field in ’75. The fans expected New York Yankees and you can buy it. us to start off where we finished and Young: To wrap up our interview, that never happens. The experience on do you have any favorite stories about the field was not as much fun as it was years with Portland? the previous season. But as far as being back in Portland, with the people I met Dangerfield: I’ve got a million sto- before and the teammates I had from ries. It was just one thing after another. ’75, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have It was so much fun. The front office as nothing but good things to say about well, they were just great people. Don the Portland area. Paul, who at first came across as “I’m

 OHQ vol. 112, no. 2 the general manager,” halfway through work into the practices and the games the season was jumping into swimming to get the success. We were treated so pools after we won games because he well by everybody and I think that’s was so happy. It was just fun. But, the probably the best story I can tell you. fun came because we put a lot of hard Other ones will get me into trouble.

notes

1. See “Terrific Timbers,” Oregon Journal the history of the North American Soccer compilation of 1975 season, available League. Signed by the New York Cosmos at Multnomah County Library; David during the 1975 season, the thirty-four-year- Tossell, Playing for Uncle Sam: The Brits’ old midfielder instantly brought credibility to Story of the North American Soccer League the NASL as well massive live and television (London: Mainstream Publishing , Random audiences whenever and wherever he played. House, 2003); Michael Orr and Morgen The Timbers’ game against the Cosmos on Young, articles on John Bain, Bernie Fagan, July 16, 1975, was Portland’s first televised Jimmy Conway, and Clive Charles, Oregon game, appearing on tape delay on KATU-2. Encyclopedia, www.oregonencyclopedia.org; Though Pelé retired in 1977, a season capped and “Timbers Battle LA Tonight: Dangerfield by the Cosmos’ championship triumph in Set to Start,” Oregon Journal, July 8, 1975. Soccer Bowl ’77 at Portland’s Civic Stadium, 2. Mildred Schwab famously supported the league has forever been linked with the the Portland Timbers from their inception. great Brazilian. See “Timbers Shade NY, Gain As a City Council member, she arranged for First,” Oregon Journal, July 17, 1975. the rental agreement between the Timbers 4. August 12, 1975, saw the Portland and the city-owned Civic Stadium in 1975 Timbers come from behind to defeat the and kicked out the ceremonial first kick at Seattle Sounders 2-1 at Civic Stadium in the Portland’s first-ever game on May 2, 1975. quarterfinal round of the NASL playoffs. Schwab purchased season tickets and stood Tony Betts’s header in overtime saw the on the sideline during games. She also Timbers through to the semifinal after Barry helped introduce Timbers players into the Powell equalized for the Timbers in the Portland community by inviting the team to second half; 31,503 fans were in attendance, parties and arranging for American cultural with thousands running onto the field in experiences for the largely British teams of the celebration on Betts’s headed winner. The mid 1970s. See “City, Timbers Sign Contract: game is commonly known as the most Schwab Gets ‘Kick’,” Oregonian, April 19, 1975; famous game in Timbers’ history. See “Betts and “Making Points,” Oregonian, July 6, 1975. Nails Winner,” Oregon Journal, August 13, 3. Pelé was the most famous player in 1975, 21.

Orr and Young, Chris Dangerfield and the Original Portland Timbers 