| Tony Waiters RIP 10:25 - Nov 10 with 254 views | BringBackTheRedRoom |
Reports on PAFC website he's passed away.
This is taken from the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame
When Tony Waiters was hired to coach the Vancouver Whitecaps midway through the 1977 North American Soccer League season, he arrived with a four-month contract and few expectations.
After five mostly successful seasons managing English club Plymouth Argyle in the 2nd and 3rd Divisions, Tony and his family viewed the Vancouver posting almost as a “working holiday”–at least until a new job presented itself back home in England. That ‘working holiday’ stretches over four decades now, Tony stands as the most successful coach in Canadian soccer history, and the sport in Canada has never been same.
Growing up in the northwestern English seaside town of Southport, Tony and brother Mick played soccer on the nearby sandy beaches and grass fields any chance they could.
“We had our own game,” recalled Tony. “Mick would shoot from outside the penalty area and if he scored he got a goal of course, and if I made a very good save, it merited a goal for me. He was Liverpool and I was Newcastle United. And that’s the reason I became a goalkeeper.”
Not just any goalkeeper either, a truly standout one, playing professionally for Blackpool and Burnley, and earning five international caps with England, as well as a place on England’s initial 40-man roster for the 1966 World Cup.
In his first full season with the Whitecaps, Tony led the team to a 24-6 win-loss record and the conference semi-finals, good enough to earn the NASL’s Coach of the Year award.
1979 proved even better. Tony’s Whitecaps caught fire in the playoffs rolling over Dallas, LA, and an epic series with the New York Cosmos many call the best in NASLhistory. The Caps then dispatched the Tampa Bay Rowdies 2-1 to win the Soccer Bowl, arguably the most significant North American professional team championship won by a BC team to date. Over 100,000 joyful Vancouverites celebrated the team’s return in one of the largest mass parades in BC history.
From 1981-86, Tony took on coaching Canada’s men’s national team. In a Canadian soccer first, Tony guided the men’s Olympic team to qualification for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, where the team finished second in round robin play and advanced to the quarterfinals before narrowly bowing out to Brazil on penalty kicks. In 1985, he coached Canada’s men to another historic first not yet matched to this day: qualification in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
Recognized internationally, in a variety of roles Tony has provided his knowledge of the beautiful game to such organizations as FIFA, CONCACAF, Canadian Soccer Association, United States Soccer Federation, and BC Soccer.
Perhaps his most underrated contribution has been nearly 40 years of grass roots teaching and player development in BC and beyond through his World of Soccer education program. Over half a million copies of his coaching books, cards, and videos have been published worldwide.
https://bcsportshall.com/honoured_member/tony-waiters/ | |
| ‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’ |
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| Tony Waiters RIP on 10:30 - Nov 10 with 251 views | spudgun |
"He was Liverpool and I was Newcastle United." Very evocative.
Yep, a lot of us played that game - most days down our street.
RIP... | | | |
| Tony Waiters RIP on 10:50 - Nov 10 with 247 views | BringBackTheRedRoom |
A few years ago (4/5 years?) heard a 30 minute segment on BBC Radio 5's World Soccer programme (It's on at 1am on a Saturday morning), about grassroot football in North America. It ended up being about how important Tony was to the whole set up in both Canada and The USA.
RIP | |
| ‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’ |
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| Tony Waiters RIP on 12:58 - Nov 10 with 241 views | BringBackTheRedRoom |
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| ‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’ |
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| Tony Waiters RIP on 19:17 - Nov 10 with 232 views | Imperial |
Great picture, what a great generation for true gentlemen footballers. | | | |
| Tony Waiters RIP on 19:29 - Nov 10 with 231 views | spell_chekker |
That's the old South Stand. | |
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| Tony Waiters RIP on 19:30 - Nov 10 with 230 views | spell_chekker |
I've both sat in the old South Stand and stood in its paddock.
Never skated there though.
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| Tony Waiters RIP on 20:35 - Nov 10 with 226 views | spudgun |
But has anybody sat in the tiny stand that was at the corner of the kop and the west stand?
Did it have a name? | | | |
| Tony Waiters RIP on 21:01 - Nov 10 with 225 views | spell_chekker |
Yes, I've sat in the old North West Stand.
The only reason being to complete the collection and to have been everywhere.
It was like that at the time. | |
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| Tony Waiters RIP on 18:56 - Nov 11 with 215 views | spudgun |
spell: I`ve probably been in all parts of the ground, possibly with the exception of the seating in the west.
I got free tickets to the little NW stand when I was at school (around 1970) and I think it was a 1-0 defeat to Luton (I may be wrong), but it was the coldest day of the year with snow flurries and icy wind.
Then I had to walk to the bus station, get the bus to Fleetwood in the dark and rain.
One that sticks in the memory for the wrong reasons... | | | |
| Tony Waiters RIP on 14:58 - Nov 16 with 198 views | BringBackTheRedRoom |
Team-Mates Pay Tribute To Tony Waiters
Glyn James and Graham Oates Share Memories of Friend
Glyn James and Graham Oates have paid tribute to their friend and former team-mate Tony Waiters, who sadly passed away at the age of 83 last week.
Waiters, capped five times for England, joined the Seasiders from Macclesfield Town in 1959 and spent eight years between the sticks at Bloomfield Road.
“He was a larger than life character. He was full of life,” said James, who helped marshall the Blackpool defence in front of him.
“He was dedicated. He was always a good trainer. Most goalkeepers can only run short distances, but he always used to battle away at it.”
For one-club man James, there is a particular memory that stands out when fondly remembering his good friend.
“We played against Hong Kong one time. Me, Tony and Johnny McPhee had all been out after the game and we decided to get a rickshaw.
“We had one rickshaw each. We were going up this steep hill, and Tony’s driver, who seemed a bit older, struggled to get up this hill.
“Tony got out and then pulled this rickshaw all the way up the hill with the driver sat there in his seat. I’ll always remember that as one of my best moments with him.”
“He was full of life all the time. He was a real gentleman at the same time, always very humble and down to earth.
“I’ll always remember him as a great lad, a great player and an even better person.”
Fellow team-mate Graham Oates, who spent seven years in tangerine, also paid tribute to Waiters’ ability and character.
“He was a tremendous goalkeeper and a terrific guy,” Oates said. “He had a brilliant physique. I couldn’t keep up with him, put it that way.
“He was a smashing lad and just such a lovely guy to get on with. He was one of the players I would’ve loved to have seen and reconnected with. He was a good friend of mine and a great goalkeeper,” he added.
https://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/news/2020/november/team-mates-pay-tribute-to-tony- | |
| ‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’ |
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