Carl Valentine
A dynamic English-born winger who became a beloved soccer icon in Vancouver, fueling the city's NASL excitement and later serving as a club ambassador.
Born 1958 (age 68)·Soccer player·Birthday: July 4·Baby Boomers
Biography
Carl Valentine brought a jolt of English flair and relentless energy to North American soccer during the sport's late-70s boom. Discovered by the Vancouver Whitecaps as a teenager from Manchester, he quickly became a fan favorite with his darting runs down the wing and knack for dramatic goals. His arrival coincided with the Whitecaps' golden era, and he was an integral part of the 1979 Soccer Bowl championship team, a victory that captured the city's imagination. After a stint back in England with West Bromwich Albion, Valentine returned to Vancouver, his adopted home, to play in the Canadian Soccer League and later for the resurrected Whitecaps in lower divisions. His commitment to the game in British Columbia extended far beyond his playing days, as he moved into coaching, broadcasting, and a longtime role as a community ambassador, forever linking his name with the sport's culture in the Pacific Northwest.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Carl was born in 1958, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Carl Was Born
The biggest hits of 1958
#1 Movie
South Pacific
Best Picture
Gigi
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Carl's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1958Born
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1963Started school
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1971Became a teenager
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1974Could drive
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1976Could vote
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Turned 21
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1988Turned 30
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 40
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 50
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 60
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 68 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the NASL Soccer Bowl championship with the Vancouver Whitecaps in 1979.
- Earned 31 caps for the Canadian national team, scoring five goals.
- Played professionally in England's First Division for West Bromwich Albion.
- Inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame in 2006.
Did You Know?
He scored on his debut for the Vancouver Whitecaps in 1979, instantly endearing himself to fans.
He was known for his distinctive afro hairstyle during his early playing days.
After retiring, he served as the 'Director of Fan Development' for the Vancouver Whitecaps MLS team.
He was born in Manchester, England, and represented Canada internationally through residency.
“I came from Manchester to give Vancouver a bit of English wing magic.”
