The group began in 1999 when supporters of the Vancouver 86ers started gathering in the pitch-level beer garden behind the goal at the south end of Swangard Stadium. The supporters initially referred to themselves as the
“Carlsberg Crew,” a reference to the beer garden’s sponsor, Carlsberg. The following season, after the stadium’s beer sponsorship changed, the group adopted the name
“Canterbury Chorus.” To avoid repeatedly changing names with future sponsorship changes, the supporters later adopted the more permanent name
“Southsiders,” referencing their location on the south side of the stadium. In 2004, the Southsiders collaborated with supporters’ groups from
Portland Timbers and
Seattle Sounders FC to establish the
Cascadia Cup. The supporter-created trophy is awarded annually to the team that earns the most points in league matches played between the three Pacific Northwest clubs. John Knox, then president of the Southsiders, described the Cascadia Cup as “hugely important.”
MLS Era In 2010, following the Whitecaps’ expansion into Major League Soccer, Southsiders membership increased significantly. The group grew from approximately 40 paying members to around 100 by July of that year. By the end of 2011, membership had surpassed over 700. During the renovation of BC Place between 2010 and 2011, Vancouver Whitecaps FC temporarily played their home matches at
Empire Field. During this period, the Southsiders gathered in the south end of the stadium. Following the completion of renovations at
BC Place and the club’s move into
Major League Soccer in 2011, the Southsiders relocated to the south-east end, establishing a dedicated GA supporters’ section that has remained the group’s primary location for organized support.
Decline and revival By the late 2010s, Southsiders membership remained relatively stable but began to gradually decline amid a series of controversies surrounding Vancouver Whitecaps FC and tensions within the broader supporter culture. In 2019, members of the group organized in-stadium protests, including coordinated walkouts during matches, in response to misconduct allegations connected to the club’s former women’s program and other front-office decisions. In 2020, the Southsiders were granted a dedicated general admission section at BC Place in section 254. The section provided a fully unified space for organized support, allowing supporters to stand together, coordinate chants, and create a more traditional football supporters’ environment. Membership declined further during the COVID-19 pandemic, when matches were played without supporters or under significant attendance restrictions. During this period, active membership reportedly fell to around 100. As restrictions eased and the Whitecaps’ on-field performance improved in the early 2020s, membership began to recover steadily. By the mid-2020s, the group’s membership had rebounded to more than 500 members. ==Culture==