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Timbers Army
Timbers Army crest.png
Established 2001
Type Supporters' group
Team Portland Timbers
Motto No Pity
Location Portland, Oregon
Membership 5,000+
Colors          
Website TimbersArmy.org

The Timbers Army is a group of dedicated fans who support the Portland Timbers, a professional soccer team in Major League Soccer. This league is the top level of soccer in the United States. The Timbers Army is famous for its loud and excited support, creating a lively atmosphere at Timbers games. They gather mainly in section 107 of Providence Park in Portland, Oregon, and their group has grown to fill a large part of the stadium's north end.

How the Timbers Army Started

The Timbers Army began in 2001. It was first called the Cascade Rangers, named after the Cascade Range mountains in the Pacific Northwest. The group started with eight friends who wanted to cheer louder for their team. They met in section 107 of the stadium, which was then called PGE Park. Their goal was to create a cheering section like those seen in European soccer, with drums, flags, scarves, and constant singing.

By 2002, the group changed its name to the Timbers Army. They wanted to avoid any confusion with the Scottish soccer club Rangers. The Timbers' uniforms at the time looked similar to those of Rangers' rival, Celtic.

The group grew quickly. In 2004, a newspaper story said the Army had about 200 passionate supporters. By 2005, another story estimated their game day support at over 1,000 fans.

In 2008, the Timbers Army helped convince the Portland City Council to bring Major League Soccer to Portland by 2011. In 2010, a sports writer called the Timbers Army one of the most important sports groups in Oregon. He said they helped make it possible for Major League Soccer to come to Portland.

Timbers Army (16758955852)
The Army in March 2015

The Timbers Army became known across the country in 2009. They were featured in Sports Illustrated magazine. The magazine showed photos of Army members celebrating a goal against Seattle Sounders FC. Even though the Timbers lost that game, a giant banner (called a tifo) made by the Timbers Army for that game was later named one of the best in MLS history. The tifo showed the Timbers' mascot, Timber Jim, cutting down Seattle's Space Needle.

What the Timbers Army Does

Timbers Army (Portland Timbers vs Chivas USA) 3
Timbers Army during a 2014 match at Providence Park

The Timbers Army is known for its loud and active support. They use chants from all over the world, along with drums and trumpets, to make a lot of noise. They also jump up and down, wave scarves, and dance during chants.

Some of their traditions include:

  • Singing "Portland Boys" right after the game starts.
  • Singing "Rose City 'Til I Die" when the opposing team scores a goal.
  • Singing "You Are My Sunshine" in the 80th minute of the game.
  • Singing "Can't Help Falling In Love" in the 85th minute.

Many of their chants come from different cultures, showing how diverse the group is.

The Timbers Army also helps the community. They volunteer for local non-profit groups and raise money for good causes. For example, they helped set up a fund for Keiana Serrill, the granddaughter of Timber Jim, who was the team's mascot. Timber Jim's daughter, Hannah, passed away in 2004. In her memory, the Timbers Army started singing "You Are My Sunshine." Timber Jim retired in 2008, but his successor, "Timber Joey," continues the tradition.

In 2010, the Timbers Army created the 107 Independent Supporters Trust, or 107IST. This is a non-profit group that supports the Timbers Army and, since 2013, the Rose City Riveters.

The Iron Front Symbol

Drei Pfeile
The symbol of the Iron Front

In 2019, the Timbers Army was in the news because they disagreed with Major League Soccer (MLS) about using the Iron Front symbol on flags. MLS had banned this symbol, along with other political signs. The Timbers Army argued that standing against fascism, racism, and sexism was not political.

This led to a long discussion between the Timbers Army and MLS leaders. During a game against Seattle in August 2019, the Timbers Army protested by staying silent for the first 33 minutes. This was to remember 1933, the year the Iron Front group was stopped in Nazi Germany.

After the protests gained attention, MLS officials decided to meet with the Timbers Army and other fan groups. A month later, on September 24, 2019, the league changed its rule and allowed the Iron Front symbol again. This was a rare time in American sports when a fan group directly challenged a league and caused a policy change.

Supporting Social Justice

After the George Floyd protests in 2020, the Timbers Army released a statement. They showed their strong support for people of color and for protestors. They stated that they "strongly oppose the systems of racism and injustice that have caused so many black deaths in our country and our communities." They also called for action to make things better.

The "No Pity Van"

The Timbers Army has a van from 1995 called the "No Pity Van." It sells merchandise outside the stadium on game days. During the protests in Portland, the van was used to give water and medical supplies to protestors. On August 13, 2020, the van's tires were damaged. This was not the first time the van had been damaged while helping protestors.

In response, the Timbers Army announced they had fixed the van. They also promised to continue supporting the protests. The very next night, the van was back on the streets providing aid.

Timbers Army Subgroups

The Timbers Army includes many smaller groups, called subgroups. Each subgroup has its own unique style and members. However, all these groups are part of the larger Timbers Army. Many subgroups create their own special clothing and items, and the money they earn goes back to support Timbers Army activities. Unlike many other soccer clubs, the Timbers Army is the only official independent fan group for the Portland Timbers. Some of these subgroups are as large as other teams' main fan groups.

Sectional Subgroups: These groups are often named after the section of the stadium where their members sit.

  • 101st Amphibious Assault
  • 102nd Airborne Division
  • 103rd Ballistic Unit
  • 104th Charlie Company
  • 105th Howitzers
  • Fighting 106th
  • Section 107 (also known as "The Woodshed")
  • 108th Easy Company
  • Eleventy Ones
  • The 112 Corner Corps
  • The 114th Hellfire
  • The 115
  • 116 Ultras
  • 117 Delta Company
  • 119 Los Geht’s
  • Del Boca Vista (208 "retirement" community)
  • 224 Neverland

Geographical Subgroups: These groups are based on where their members live.

Timbers Army Soccer Teams

The Timbers Army has several soccer teams that play in a local adult league in Portland. These teams play in both Spring and Fall seasons. They also compete in the Clive Charles Memorial North End Cup. The winning team from this tournament gets to play against a team from the Seattle Sounders FC fan group, the Emerald City Supporters. All players on these teams must be members of 107IST. Each team also helps with Timbers Army community projects.

Timbers Army Affiliate Teams

  • Whipsaws FC (Women's Over-30)
  • Whipsaws FC Open (Women's Open Division)
  • FC Portlandia (Division 1)
  • FC Dynamo (Division 1)
  • Cascade Rangers FC (Division 4)
  • North End United (Division 4)
  • Rose City Athletic (Division 4)
  • Northern Alliance FC (Division 4)
  • FC Bridge City (Division 4)
  • Multnomah Forest AFC (Division 4)
  • Tanner Creek Renegades (Division 4)
  • Deacon Blue (Division 4)
  • Sporting BDA (Division 4)
  • Clinton City Wanderers (Division 4)
  • Nomads FC (Over-30 Division 2)
  • Buckman United (Over-30 Division 3)
  • Old Growth FC (Over 40 Division 2)

107 Independent Supporters Trust

The 107 Independent Supporters Trust (107IST) is a non-profit organization. Anyone who loves soccer can join. It helps organize the activities of the Timbers Army and the Rose City Riveters. Besides supporting the Timbers and Thorns soccer teams, 107IST also does many community projects. These include offering free CPR training in English and Spanish, managing a library of soccer books, supporting the Gisele Currier Scholarship Fund, and building youth soccer fields.

Rose City Riveters

The Rose City Riveters is the official fan group for Portland Thorns FC. This is Portland's professional women's soccer team in the National Women's Soccer League.

Rival Fan Groups

The Timbers Army has friendly rivalries with other fan groups, especially those from nearby teams.

  • Emerald City Supporters (for Seattle Sounders FC)
  • Vancouver Southsiders (for Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
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