.gif)
Portland Timbers (MLS)
Encyclopedia
The Portland Timbers are an American professional soccer club based in Portland, Oregon
that competes in Major League Soccer
(MLS), the top professional soccer league
in the United States
and Canada
.
The Timbers are the 18th club of Major League Soccer, and replace the USL
First Division's
team of the same name
, while retaining the same ownership. The MLS club is the fourth Portland team to share the legacy of the Timbers name, which first originated in the old North American Soccer League
in 1975.
, dating back at least to May 2007, when Paulson led a group that bought the Portland Beavers
and the USL Timbers. The group included former Treasury Secretary
Henry Paulson
(Meritt Paulson's father) who holds a 20% stake. The biggest issue for the city of Portland was that due to league concerns about seating configuration, field surface, and scheduling, obtaining an MLS club would require a new stadium.
In October 2007, Paulson was told PGE Park could be upgraded for about $20 million, and a new baseball stadium (with 8,000 to 9,000 seats) would cost about $30 million. By November 2008, Paulson told The New York Times he expected Portland taxpayers would spend $85 million to "build a new baseball stadium for his Beavers and renovate PGE Park—just remodeled in 2001 at a cost to taxpayers of $38.5 million—for soccer", and that in exchange, he would spend $40 million for the franchise fee to bring a new Major League Soccer team to Portland. MLS was in support of the proposal, wanting to continue to expand the number of owners in the league (for a while, all of its teams were owned by three men: Phil Anschutz, Lamar Hunt
, and Robert Kraft
).
Though supporting the acquisition of an MLS franchise raised numerous issues for Mayor Sam Adams and the Portland City Council, the Timbers were announced as Major League Soccer's eighteenth team on March 20, 2009 by Commissioner Don Garber
. The announcement occurred in the middle of the first and second round games of the 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
being held in Portland the same week. The announcement noted that the team would retain the Portland Timbers name.
The team owner is Peregrine Sports, LLC, a group led by Merritt Paulson
. Paulson was also the head of Shortstop, LLC which owned the USL-1 Timbers as well as the Pacific Coast League
's Portland Beavers
.
Former MLS forward and assistant coach John Spencer was named the first head coach of the MLS-era Timbers on August 10, 2010. It was also announced that Gavin Wilkinson
, head coach of the USL-1/USSF D-2 Timbers, would stay on as the general manager/technical director of the MLS side.
The Timbers signed five players before the MLS Expansion Draft
on November 24, 2010. Three were part of the Timbers D-2 Pro League
squad in 2010 (Steve Cronin
, Bright Dike
, and Ryan Pore
), one was signed from D-2 Pro League team Austin Aztex (forward Eddie Johnson
) and one was acquired via trade with New York Red Bulls (midfielder Jeremy Hall
). On November 24, 2010, the Timbers, along with the other 2011 expansion team, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, participated in an MLS Expansion Draft, each selecting 10 players from existing teams. Immediately after the Expansion Draft, the Timbers announced the trade of their first pick (midfielder Dax McCarty
, from FC Dallas
to DC United for defender Rodney Wallace. The Timbers and Whitecaps also participated in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft
on January 13, 2011 with the Whitecaps having the first pick, and the Timbers having the second pick. Vancouver surprised some by selecting youngster Omar Salgado
and Portland swiftly selected Akron midfielder/forward Darlington Nagbe
.
The Timbers played their first MLS game on March 19, 2011, against reigning MLS champions Colorado Rapids
, but lost 3-1. The first goal in the Timbers' MLS era was scored by Kenny Cooper
.
's logging
industry since loggers traditionally used axe
s to cut down trees. There are three chevrons organized to resemble a pine tree that refer to the Timbers' membership in three separate leagues: the original North American Soccer League
, the United Soccer Leagues
, and Major League Soccer. The team's colors, ponderosa green and moss
green, represent the state of Oregon's forest
s.
It was announced in September 2010 that the Portland Timbers' jerseys would be sponsored by Alaska Airlines
. On Thursday December 9 the jersey was revealed at a runway show at Portland International Airport
. The home jersey is a two-tone halved green shirt while the alternate jersey is red, in honor of Portland being known as the Rose City.
Portland plays in the newly-renovated Jeld-Wen Field (formerly PGE Park), which they expect to share with the Portland State Vikings
football team. The stadium's other tenant, the Beavers
, unable to find a location for a new ballpark will be moving to Tucson, Arizona
.
Initially, city funding for renovation of PGE Park was tied to simultaneous construction of the new ballpark; but due to delays caused by public criticism of ballpark sites chosen so far and a deadline to begin stadium renovation, the funding for the two projects was separated. The capacity of the renovated Jeld-Wen Field is expected to be between 22,000 and 23,000.
of mountains in the Pacific Northwest
region of North America
. The group began congregating in section 107 ("The Woodshed") of PGE Park
("The Piggy") to create a European-style rooting section for the club, complete with drumming, flags, scarves, smoke bombs and constant chanting and cheering. By 2002, the group had changed its name to the Timbers Army in order to lose any perception of partiality toward Scottish
football club Rangers
and because the Timbers uniforms at the time resembled those of Rangers rival Celtic
.
named Timber Jim
. On January 24, 2008, Jim announced his retirement. His final farewell was a game played against Puerto Rico Islanders
on April 17, 2008, which was won 1-0. Having served as the unofficial mascot from then on, Timber Joey was inaugurated as the new official mascot at an exhibition game vs Juventus Primavera on June 14, 2008, a game the Timbers won 1-0, and has served in that capacity ever since. Joey's trademark is cutting a round from a large log with one of his chainsaw
s every time the Timbers score a goal. This round is presented to the goal-scoring player after the game. If the team achieves a shutout ("clean sheet"), the goalkeeper also receives a round.
or ESPN2
. The rest of the games are televised regionally in English by Root Sports
(formerly FSN Northwest
), locally in English by FOX 12 Oregon
or PDX TV
and locally in Spanish by Estrella TV
. FOX 12 Oregon also airs a weekly highlight show called Timbers in 30 on Sunday evenings.
John Strong
— a USL Timbers radio play-by-play announcer — calls the games for the local and regional broadcasts and is joined by former Premier League and midfielder Robbie Earle
on color commentary.
On the radio, all Timbers games are broadcast in English on 750 AM "The Game" and are simulcast in Spanish on both La Pantera 940 AM
and KSND 95.1 FM
. 750 AM also features Talk Timbers, a weekly radio show dedicated to the team and soccer, hosted by John Strong.
Long-time Portland Timbers broadcaster Andy McNamara
handles play-by-play duties for the majority of the English language radio broadcasts — with former NASL Timbers broadcaster Greg Flakus filling in when McNamara is not available — and is joined by former USL Timbers player Ross Smith as an analyst during home matches. Spanish language radio broadcasts are called by Fernando Sobrevilla.
games, but are not part of the senior roster.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
that competes in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
(MLS), the top professional soccer league
American Soccer Pyramid
The United States soccer pyramid is a term used in soccer to describe the structure of the league system in the United States. The country's governing body for the sport, the United States Soccer Federation , oversees the system but does not operate any of its component leagues—with one temporary...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
The Timbers are the 18th club of Major League Soccer, and replace the USL
United Soccer Leagues
The United Soccer Leagues is the organizer of several soccer leagues with teams in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. It includes men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Leagues currently organized are the USL Pro, the USL Premier Development League, the W-League, and...
First Division's
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
team of the same name
Portland Timbers (USL)
Portland Timbers was an American professional soccer team based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 2001, the team played in various leagues at the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, including the USL First Division and the USSF Division 2 Professional League, until the end of...
, while retaining the same ownership. The MLS club is the fourth Portland team to share the legacy of the Timbers name, which first originated in the old North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
in 1975.
History
The announcement of the Timbers' entry into MLS was the culmination of a nearly two-year-long process for Merritt PaulsonMerritt Paulson
Henry Merritt Paulson III is the majority owner of Peregrine Sports, LLC which owns the Portland Timbers, a Major League Soccer team based in Portland, Oregon.-Personal:...
, dating back at least to May 2007, when Paulson led a group that bought the Portland Beavers
Portland Beavers
The Tucson Padres are a minor league baseball team, representing Tucson, Arizona, in the Pacific Coast League . They are the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The team was formerly known as the Portland Beavers and played its last home game at PGE Park on September 6, 2010...
and the USL Timbers. The group included former Treasury Secretary
United States Secretary of the Treasury
The Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, which is concerned with financial and monetary matters, and, until 2003, also with some issues of national security and defense. This position in the Federal Government of the United...
Henry Paulson
Henry Paulson
Henry Merritt "Hank" Paulson, Jr. is an American banker who served as the 74th United States Secretary of the Treasury. He previously served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Goldman Sachs.-Early life and family:...
(Meritt Paulson's father) who holds a 20% stake. The biggest issue for the city of Portland was that due to league concerns about seating configuration, field surface, and scheduling, obtaining an MLS club would require a new stadium.
In October 2007, Paulson was told PGE Park could be upgraded for about $20 million, and a new baseball stadium (with 8,000 to 9,000 seats) would cost about $30 million. By November 2008, Paulson told The New York Times he expected Portland taxpayers would spend $85 million to "build a new baseball stadium for his Beavers and renovate PGE Park—just remodeled in 2001 at a cost to taxpayers of $38.5 million—for soccer", and that in exchange, he would spend $40 million for the franchise fee to bring a new Major League Soccer team to Portland. MLS was in support of the proposal, wanting to continue to expand the number of owners in the league (for a while, all of its teams were owned by three men: Phil Anschutz, Lamar Hunt
Lamar Hunt
Lamar Hunt was an American sportsman and promoter of American football, soccer, basketball, and ice hockey in the United States and an inductee into three sports' halls of fame. He was one of the founders of the American Football League and Major League Soccer , as well as MLS predecessor the...
, and Robert Kraft
Robert Kraft
Robert K. Kraft is an American business magnate. He is the Chairman and was the Chief Executive Officer of The Kraft Group, a diversified holding company with assets in paper and packaging, sports and entertainment, real estate development and a private equity portfolio...
).
Though supporting the acquisition of an MLS franchise raised numerous issues for Mayor Sam Adams and the Portland City Council, the Timbers were announced as Major League Soccer's eighteenth team on March 20, 2009 by Commissioner Don Garber
Don Garber
Donald Garber is the commissioner of Major League Soccer, CEO of Soccer United Marketing, and a member of the United States Soccer Federation board of directors. Garber has spent his entire career in the sports industry, working in a variety of capacities in marketing, television and league...
. The announcement occurred in the middle of the first and second round games of the 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The first and second round games were played at the following sites:First and Second Rounds: Thursday and Saturday, March 19 and 21, 2009-Qualifying teams:-Brackets:Results to date * – Denotes overtime periodAll times in U.S. EDT....
being held in Portland the same week. The announcement noted that the team would retain the Portland Timbers name.
The team owner is Peregrine Sports, LLC, a group led by Merritt Paulson
Merritt Paulson
Henry Merritt Paulson III is the majority owner of Peregrine Sports, LLC which owns the Portland Timbers, a Major League Soccer team based in Portland, Oregon.-Personal:...
. Paulson was also the head of Shortstop, LLC which owned the USL-1 Timbers as well as the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
's Portland Beavers
Portland Beavers
The Tucson Padres are a minor league baseball team, representing Tucson, Arizona, in the Pacific Coast League . They are the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The team was formerly known as the Portland Beavers and played its last home game at PGE Park on September 6, 2010...
.
Former MLS forward and assistant coach John Spencer was named the first head coach of the MLS-era Timbers on August 10, 2010. It was also announced that Gavin Wilkinson
Gavin Wilkinson
Gavin Wilkinson is a former New Zealand footballer and current technical director of Portland Timbers. Prior to this position, Wilkinson was manager of Portland Timbers in the United Soccer Leagues before their promotion to Major League Soccer beginning with the 2011 season...
, head coach of the USL-1/USSF D-2 Timbers, would stay on as the general manager/technical director of the MLS side.
The Timbers signed five players before the MLS Expansion Draft
2010 MLS Expansion Draft
The 2010 MLS Expansion Draft took place on November 24, 2010, and was a special draft for the Major League Soccer expansion teams Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Portland Timbers.-Format:...
on November 24, 2010. Three were part of the Timbers D-2 Pro League
USSF Division 2 Professional League
USSF Division 2 Professional League was a temporary professional soccer league created by the United States Soccer Federation in 2010 to last just one season. The twelve-team league was formed as a compromise between the feuding United Soccer Leagues and the North American Soccer League...
squad in 2010 (Steve Cronin
Steve Cronin
Steve Michael Cronin is an American soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United of Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:Cronin played college soccer at Santa Clara University from 2001 to 2003...
, Bright Dike
Bright Dike
Chinedu "Bright" Dike is an American soccer player who currently plays for Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:...
, and Ryan Pore
Ryan Pore
Ryan Pore is an American soccer player who is currently without a club.-Youth and College:Pore attended Madison Comprehensive High School, and played college soccer at the University of Tulsa, where in 2004 he was a finalist for the Hermann Trophy, twice named first team All-American, and the top...
), one was signed from D-2 Pro League team Austin Aztex (forward Eddie Johnson
Eddie Johnson (English footballer)
Edward William "Eddie" Johnson is an English footballer who currently plays for Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer. He is a midfielder but has also played as a striker and has represented his country at under-20 level....
) and one was acquired via trade with New York Red Bulls (midfielder Jeremy Hall
Jeremy Hall (soccer)
Jeremy Hall is an American soccer player who currently plays for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer.-College:...
). On November 24, 2010, the Timbers, along with the other 2011 expansion team, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, participated in an MLS Expansion Draft, each selecting 10 players from existing teams. Immediately after the Expansion Draft, the Timbers announced the trade of their first pick (midfielder Dax McCarty
Dax McCarty
Dax McCarty is an American soccer player who currently plays for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.-College:...
, from FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
to DC United for defender Rodney Wallace. The Timbers and Whitecaps also participated in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft
2011 MLS SuperDraft
The 2011 MLS SuperDraft was the twelfth annual SuperDraft presented by Major League Soccer. It was held on January 13, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland, during the 2011 NSCAA Convention at the Baltimore Convention Center. The 2011 SuperDraft consisted of three rounds with eighteen selections each, for...
on January 13, 2011 with the Whitecaps having the first pick, and the Timbers having the second pick. Vancouver surprised some by selecting youngster Omar Salgado
Omar Salgado
Omar Salgado is an American soccer player who plays for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Major League Soccer.-Club:Salgado began his career at the youth ranks of top Mexican club Guadalajara. He courted controversy when he left the Mexican club side to pursue a career with the United States U-20 national...
and Portland swiftly selected Akron midfielder/forward Darlington Nagbe
Darlington Nagbe
Darlington Nagbe is a Liberian footballer currently playing for the Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:...
.
The Timbers played their first MLS game on March 19, 2011, against reigning MLS champions Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
, but lost 3-1. The first goal in the Timbers' MLS era was scored by Kenny Cooper
Kenny Cooper
Kenneth Scott Cooper, Jr. is an American soccer player who currently plays for Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer....
.
Colors and badge
Portland Timbers' MLS logo incorporates elements of the former USL design. The primary reference to the original crest is the circular shape that represents unity, wholeness, and the pursuit of perfection. The axe alludes to the Pacific NorthwestPacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
's logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
industry since loggers traditionally used axe
Axe
The axe, or ax, is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood; to harvest timber; as a weapon; and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol...
s to cut down trees. There are three chevrons organized to resemble a pine tree that refer to the Timbers' membership in three separate leagues: the original North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
, the United Soccer Leagues
United Soccer Leagues
The United Soccer Leagues is the organizer of several soccer leagues with teams in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. It includes men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Leagues currently organized are the USL Pro, the USL Premier Development League, the W-League, and...
, and Major League Soccer. The team's colors, ponderosa green and moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
green, represent the state of Oregon's forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s.
It was announced in September 2010 that the Portland Timbers' jerseys would be sponsored by Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines is an airline based in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac, Washington in the United States. The airline originated in 1932 as McGee Airways. After many mergers with and acquisitions of other airlines, including Star Air Service, it became known as Alaska Airlines in 1944...
. On Thursday December 9 the jersey was revealed at a runway show at Portland International Airport
Portland International Airport
Portland International Airport is a joint civil-military airport and the largest airport in the U.S. state of Oregon, accounting for 90% of passenger travel and more than 95% of air cargo of the state. It is located within Portland's city limits just south of the Columbia River in Multnomah...
. The home jersey is a two-tone halved green shirt while the alternate jersey is red, in honor of Portland being known as the Rose City.
Stadium
- Jeld-Wen Field; Portland, OregonPortland, OregonPortland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
(2011–present) - Merlo FieldMerlo FieldHarry A. Merlo Field at the Clive Charles Soccer Complex is a 4,892-capacity soccer-specific stadium in Portland, Oregon on the campus of the University of Portland where it serves as home to the school's soccer teams.-History:...
; Portland, OregonPortland, OregonPortland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
(2011) 1 game in US Open Cup qualifying
Portland plays in the newly-renovated Jeld-Wen Field (formerly PGE Park), which they expect to share with the Portland State Vikings
Portland State Vikings
Portland State Vikings is the nickname of the NCAA-affiliated, intercollegiate athletic teams representing Portland State University of Portland, Oregon...
football team. The stadium's other tenant, the Beavers
Portland Beavers
The Tucson Padres are a minor league baseball team, representing Tucson, Arizona, in the Pacific Coast League . They are the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The team was formerly known as the Portland Beavers and played its last home game at PGE Park on September 6, 2010...
, unable to find a location for a new ballpark will be moving to Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
.
Initially, city funding for renovation of PGE Park was tied to simultaneous construction of the new ballpark; but due to delays caused by public criticism of ballpark sites chosen so far and a deadline to begin stadium renovation, the funding for the two projects was separated. The capacity of the renovated Jeld-Wen Field is expected to be between 22,000 and 23,000.
Supporters
The main supporters group of the Portland Timbers is the Timbers Army. Its members are known for their loud, enthusiastic support and the raucous atmosphere they create at Timbers games. The Timbers Army was founded in 2001 as the Cascade Rangers, a reference to the Cascade RangeCascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
of mountains in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
region of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. The group began congregating in section 107 ("The Woodshed") of PGE Park
PGE Park
Jeld-Wen Field is an outdoor sports stadium located in Portland, Oregon, United States that is used primarily for soccer and American football...
("The Piggy") to create a European-style rooting section for the club, complete with drumming, flags, scarves, smoke bombs and constant chanting and cheering. By 2002, the group had changed its name to the Timbers Army in order to lose any perception of partiality toward Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
football club Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
and because the Timbers uniforms at the time resembled those of Rangers rival Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
.
Rivalries
- Portland Timbers continue a long-running Seattle-Portland rivalry with Seattle Sounders FCSeattle Sounders FCSeattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in...
. - Vancouver Whitecaps FC, the other Cascadian USSF Division 2 Professional LeagueUSSF Division 2 Professional LeagueUSSF Division 2 Professional League was a temporary professional soccer league created by the United States Soccer Federation in 2010 to last just one season. The twelve-team league was formed as a compromise between the feuding United Soccer Leagues and the North American Soccer League...
team was replaced by an MLS franchise in 2011, which will compete along with Portland and Seattle Sounders FCSeattle Sounders FCSeattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in...
in the "Cascadia CupCascadia CupThe Cascadia Cup is the name of the trophy created in 2004 by supporters of the Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC, which is awarded each season to the best soccer team in the Pacific Northwest. The Timbers, Sounders, and Whitecaps have roots dating to the days of the...
".
Mascot
During the NASL and USL years the team's mascot was a grizzled lumberjackLumberjack
A lumberjack is a worker in the logging industry who performs the initial harvesting and transport of trees for ultimate processing into forest products. The term usually refers to a bygone era when hand tools were used in harvesting trees principally from virgin forest...
named Timber Jim
Timber Jim
Timber Jim was the mascot for the United Soccer Leagues Portland Timbers soccer team. A fan favorite from the earlier North American Soccer League Portland Timbers, he came back in 2001 to join the new Portland Timbers....
. On January 24, 2008, Jim announced his retirement. His final farewell was a game played against Puerto Rico Islanders
Puerto Rico Islanders
Puerto Rico Islanders is a Puerto Rican professional football team based in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. Founded in 2003, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
on April 17, 2008, which was won 1-0. Having served as the unofficial mascot from then on, Timber Joey was inaugurated as the new official mascot at an exhibition game vs Juventus Primavera on June 14, 2008, a game the Timbers won 1-0, and has served in that capacity ever since. Joey's trademark is cutting a round from a large log with one of his chainsaw
Chainsaw
A chainsaw is a portable mechanical saw, powered by electricity, compressed air, hydraulic power, or most commonly a two-stroke engine...
s every time the Timbers score a goal. This round is presented to the goal-scoring player after the game. If the team achieves a shutout ("clean sheet"), the goalkeeper also receives a round.
Broadcasting
Several Portland Timbers games are televised nationally by Fox Soccer ChannelFox Soccer Channel
Fox Soccer is an American television specialty channel, owned by News Corporation's Fox Entertainment Group, that specializes in soccer. It formerly broadcast rugby and Australian rules football, but is now dedicated strictly to soccer...
or ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
. The rest of the games are televised regionally in English by Root Sports
Root Sports
Root Sports is the collective name for a group of regional sports networks owned by DirecTV Sports Networks, affiliated with the overall Fox Sports Net system...
(formerly FSN Northwest
FSN Northwest
Root Sports Northwest is a United States regional sports network available in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska...
), locally in English by FOX 12 Oregon
KPTV
KPTV is the Fox-affiliated television station serving the Portland, Oregon market, which includes most of the state of Oregon and portions of Southwest Washington. KPTV is owned by the Meredith Corporation in a duopoly with MyNetworkTV affiliate KPDX , with its studios located in Beaverton and...
or PDX TV
KPDX
KPDX is the MyNetworkTV-affiliate serving the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area. It broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 30. In addition, it is seen on channel 13 on most local cable TV systems....
and locally in Spanish by Estrella TV
Estrella TV
Estrella TV is a Spanish-language television network owned by Liberman Broadcasting. The network launched September 14, 2009.-Affiliates:-Former Affiliates:-Controversy:...
. FOX 12 Oregon also airs a weekly highlight show called Timbers in 30 on Sunday evenings.
John Strong
John Strong (radio personality)
John Strong is an American sports radio talk show host on Portland's 750-AM "The Game" in Portland, Oregon. He hosts a daily radio show called "Strong at Night." He also is the KXTG play-by-play announcer for the Portland Timbers Major League Soccer team....
— a USL Timbers radio play-by-play announcer — calls the games for the local and regional broadcasts and is joined by former Premier League and midfielder Robbie Earle
Robbie Earle
Robert Fitzgerald "Robbie" Earle MBE is an English-born Jamaican former international footballer who played as a midfielder. He played 578 league games in senior club football, scoring 136 goals....
on color commentary.
On the radio, all Timbers games are broadcast in English on 750 AM "The Game" and are simulcast in Spanish on both La Pantera 940 AM
KWBY
KWBY is a radio station broadcasting a Regional Mexican format. Licensed to Woodburn, Oregon, USA, it serves the Portland OR area. The station is currently owned by 94 Country, Inc....
and KSND 95.1 FM
KSND
KSND is a radio station broadcasting a Regional Mexican format. Licensed to Monmouth, Oregon, USA. The station is currently owned by 94 Country, Inc..-History:The station Construction Permit was issued with the call sign KNJM on 1991-11-15...
. 750 AM also features Talk Timbers, a weekly radio show dedicated to the team and soccer, hosted by John Strong.
Long-time Portland Timbers broadcaster Andy McNamara
Andy McNamara
Andrew Michael McNamara is an American sportscaster, most known for his work as a soccer play-by-play announcer...
handles play-by-play duties for the majority of the English language radio broadcasts — with former NASL Timbers broadcaster Greg Flakus filling in when McNamara is not available — and is joined by former USL Timbers player Ross Smith as an analyst during home matches. Spanish language radio broadcasts are called by Fernando Sobrevilla.
Current roster
As of November 28, 2011.Reserve team players
This list shows players who have played for the team in official 2011 MLS Reserve Division2011 MLS Reserve Division
The new MLS Reserve League was resurrected for the 2011 season, after not having played since 2008. Each team will play 10 games against divisional opponenets, with clubs being allowed schedule additional games against non-MLS opponents. The schedule begins March 20 and tentatively concludes Oct...
games, but are not part of the senior roster.
Staff
As of April 13, 2011.- General Manager / Technical Director —
New Zealand Gavin WilkinsonGavin WilkinsonGavin Wilkinson is a former New Zealand footballer and current technical director of Portland Timbers. Prior to this position, Wilkinson was manager of Portland Timbers in the United Soccer Leagues before their promotion to Major League Soccer beginning with the 2011 season... - Head Coach —
Scotland John SpencerJohn Spencer (footballer)John Spencer is the head coach for Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer. Spencer is a former professional football player, who represented Scotland at international level... - Assistant Coach —
England Trevor James - Assistant Coach —
United States Amos MageeAmos MageeAmos Magee is the former head coach of the Minnesota Thunder. Magee received his bachelors degree from Wesleyan University and his masters in Public Affairs from the University of Minnesota... - Goalkeeper Coach — England Adam Smith
- Strength and Conditioning Coach —
Morocco Karim Derqaoui - Head Athletic Trainer — United States Nik Wald
Achievements
- Minor Trophies
- Xbox 360 Team Fair Play AwardMLS Fair Play AwardThe MLS Fair Play Award, also known as the Xbox 360 Fair Play Award, is an annual award in Major League Soccer. The award is given to an individual player and a team who receives a low number of yellow cards and red cards...
: 2011
- Xbox 360 Team Fair Play Award
Footnotes
- Major League Soccer franchise formed in 2009 but did not begin MLS play until 2011. Three previous incarnations of the club competed in the North American Soccer League (1975–1982), the Western Soccer League (1985–1990) and the USL First Division (2001–2010).