Timbers Army
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article needs references that appear in reliable third-party publications. Primary sources or sources affiliated with the subject are generally not sufficient for a Wikipedia article. Please add more appropriate citations from reliable sources. (August 2009) |
The Timbers Army is the unofficial supporters' group of the Portland Timbers soccer club located in Portland, Oregon, United States.
Contents |
[edit] History
When the PTFC was formed in 2001, a small group then known as the Cascade Rangers[1] began congregating in section 107 at the north end ('The Shed') 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.
In time, partly because the Timbers' uniforms resembled those of the Scottish club Celtic (whose arch rivals are Rangers), the name Cascade Rangers was dropped in favor of Timbers Army (though some early TA scarves bore a CR logo as a trace vestige of the original group). In the coming years, the Timbers Army grew steadily into the dozens and then scores. By the end of the 2003 campaign, in which the club just missed the playoffs, there were approximately 200 regulars in the Timbers Army section.
In 2004, the group received increased media coverage. Early in the 2005 campaign, the number of people standing, chanting and wearing scarves in the area around section 107 was 1000 or more.
A typical night with the TA was memorialized in a classic CulturePulp cartoon in the Oregonian by Portland artist and writer M. E. Russell.
The Timbers Army isn't only found at matches. Besides organized bus trips to away games in Seattle and Vancouver, and an April 2006 trip during which many TA members visited Sunderland, the members congregate at a few pubs local to the ground—notably the Bullpen Tavern, and the Bitter End Pub. During the off-season, they hold regular monthly gatherings and play together on an indoor soccer team and Big Turkey Bowling. They produce a monthly 'zine—Ax to the Head—and a number of other promotional items: stickers, posters, men's and women's t-shirts, beer glasses, and so forth. Many of these items are sold at not-for-profit prices, and in many cases all proceeds go to charity. The group engages in a number of charitable activities, including volunteering at Habitat for Humanity sites and raising money for a trust fund established for Keiana Serrill, the granddaughter of Timber Jim (timberjim.com), the team's amazing lumberjack mascot. Timber Jim's daughter, Hannah, was killed in an automobile accident in 2004, and in her memory, the TA has made a tradition of singing "You Are My Sunshine,". The chant has been known to inspire goals, including the legendary back-heeled "Sunshine Goal" by Fadi Afash.
[edit] Controversy
In late August 2005, The Oregonian ran an article that criticized the Army's use of profanity in their chants,[2] most notably in the chant "You suck Asshole!" which typically accompanies an opposing team's goal kick. The Army's salty language had drawn criticism before; but in this instance, then-General Manager Jim Taylor stated that "People should not come to a sporting event or any event and have to listen to this kind of language…There is no explaining away the actions of that group. It's unacceptable."
[edit] Chants
Led by drummers, trumpets and generally rowdy fans, the Army has several chants that it returns to again and again through the course of a match, such as "Rose City Till I Die!". Some of the Timbers Army refer to rival teams using nicknames. For instance, Seattle is reduced to "Shittle" and Vancouver is instead known as "Wank-ouver". These are interchangeable in many chants.
[edit] Timbers Army Affiliate Supporters Groups
(in no particular order)
- Popinski Brothers
- Row N Infantry
- AOP
- Fighting 106th
- 105th Howitzers
- East Wall Brigade
- FC Portlandia - a football club formed by supporters
- Timbers Army FC - a football club formed by supporters
- North End United FC - a football club formed by supporters
[edit] Rival Groups
[edit] References
- ^ archive of Cascade Rangers site
- ^ "Language Barrier". The Oregonian. August , 2005. http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1124794525320440.xml&coll=7.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
