# 2008 Portland Timbers season

The 2008 Portland Timbers season was the 8th season for the Portland Timbers—the third incarnation of a club to bear the Portland Timbers name—of the now-defunct USL First Division, the second-tier league of the United States and Canada at the time.

## Competitions
### USL First Division
#### Standings

Commissioner's Cup, bye to semifinal round of playoffs  First round of playoffs
| Pos | Club | Pts | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | H2H Pts |
| 1 | Puerto Rico Islanders | 54 | 30 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 43 | 23 | +20 |
| 2 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 53 | 30 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 34 | 28 | +6 |
| 3 | Montreal Impact | 42 | 30 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 33 | 28 | +5 |
| 4 | Rochester Rhinos | 41$^†$ | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 35 | 32 | +3 |
| 5 | Charleston Battery | 40 | 30 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 34 | 36 | −2 | CHA: 4 pts SEA: 4 pts |
| 6 | Seattle Sounders | 40 | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 37 | 36 | +1 | CHA: 4 pts SEA: 4 pts |
| 7 | Minnesota Thunder | 39 | 30 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 40 | 38 | +2 |
| 8 | Carolina RailHawks | 37 | 30 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 34 | 43 | −9 |
| 9 | Miami FC | 34 | 30 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 28 | 34 | −6 | MIA: 7 pts ATL: 1 pt |
| 10 | Atlanta Silverbacks | 34 | 30 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 37 | 50 | −13 | MIA: 7 pts ATL: 1 pt |
| 11 | Portland Timbers | 31 | 30 | 7 | 13 | 10 | 26 | 33 | −7 |
Tie-breaker order: 1. Head-to-head points; 2. Total wins; 3. Goal difference; 4. Goals for; 5. Lottery $^†$ Rochester deducted 1 point for use of an ineligible player on August 10, 2008

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
| Pld | Pts | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD |
| 30 | 31 | 7 | 13 | 10 | 26 | 33 | −7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 13 | +2 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 11 | 20 | −9 |
Source: Pld = Matches played; Pts = Points; W = Matches won; T = Matches tied; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference

#### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Stadium | H | H | H | H | A | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A |
| Result | W | W | W | T | T | T | T | L | L | W | L | T | L | T | L | W | L | T | L | T | T | L | T | W | L | W | L | L | L | L |

### U.S. Open Cup
#### Cup bracket

| First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round |
| NPSL | Arizona Sahuaros | 0 | | | | | | |
| NPSL | Arizona Sahuaros | 0 | | | | USL-1 | Seattle Sounders | 2 |
| USL-1 | Seattle Sounders (aet) | 1 | | | | USL-1 | Seattle Sounders | 2 |
| USL-1 | Seattle Sounders (aet) | 1 | USL-1 | Seattle Sounders | 6 | MLS | Chivas USA | 0 |
| | | | USASA | Hollywood United | 0 | | | |
| USL-1 | Portland Timbers | 2 | USASA | Hollywood United | 0 | | | |
| USASA | Hollywood United | 3 | | | | | | |

#### First round
### Cascadia Cup

2008 :
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
| Vancouver Whitecaps | 13 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 6 | +3 |
| Seattle Sounders | 8 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Portland Timbers | 4 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 7 | -3 |

## Club
### Coaching staff

| Position | Staff |
| Head coach | Gavin Wilkinson |
| Assistant coach | Rod Underwood |
| Assistant coach | Jim Rilatt |
| Goalkeeper coach | Jim Brazeau |
Updated to match played June 9, 2011 Source:

### Management

| Majority Owner & President | Merritt Paulson |
| General Manager | Gavin Wilkinson |
| Ground (capacity and dimensions) | PGE Park ( / ) |
Source:

## Squad
### Kits

The Timbers wore a green home kit, bearing white accents on the collar and sleeves, with green shorts and green socks. The away kit was white with white shorts and white socks. The third kit was a deep maroon color, called "Rose City Red", with maroon shorts and maroon socks.
| Primary | Secondary | Third |

### Final roster

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | USA | Jordan James |
| 2 | MF | USA | Miguel Guante |
| 4 | DF | USA | Tim Karalexis |
| 5 | DF | CAN | Justin Thompson |
| 6 | DF | NZL | Cameron Knowles |
| 7 | MF | USA | Shaun Higgins |
| 8 | MF | USA | Tom Poltl |
| 9 | MF | USA | Drue Harris |
| 10 | MF | CIV | Arsène Oka |
| 11 | FW | USA | Chris Brown |
| 12 | DF | USA | Leonard Griffin |
| 13 | FW | USA | Jamil Walker |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 14 | MF | USA | Neil Dombrowski |
| 15 | MF | KEN | Lawrence Olum |
| 16 | MF | SCO | Bryan Little |
| 17 | DF | USA | Scot Thompson |
| 18 | GK | USA | Steve Reese |
| 19 | MF | USA | Troy Ready |
| 20 | FW | SOL | Benjamin Totori |
| 21 | DF | USA | Cameron Dunn |
| 23 | FW | MEX | Byron Alvarez |
| 30 | DF | JPN | Takayuki Suzuki |
| 32 | GK | USA | Chase Harrison |
| 33 | FW | USA | Chris Bagley |

### Recognition

USL-1 All-League Second Team
| Pos | Player | GP |
| DF | Cameron Knowles | 29 |
USL-1 Player of the Week
| Week | Player | Opponent(s) | Ref |
| 2 | Takayuki Suzuki | Minnesota Thunder, Seattle Sounders | |
USL-1 Goal of the Week
| Week | Player | Opponent | Ref |
| 2 | Takayuki Suzuki | Seattle Sounders | |
| 21 | Byron Alvarez | Miami FC | |
USL-1 Team of the Week
| Week | Player | Opponent(s) |
| 1 | Chris Brown | Puerto Rico Islanders |
| 2 | Ray Burse | Minnesota Thunder, Seattle Sounders |
| 2 | Shaun Higgins | Minnesota Thunder, Seattle Sounders |
| 2 | Scot Thompson | Minnesota Thunder, Seattle Sounders |
| 2 | Takayuki Suzuki | Minnesota Thunder, Seattle Sounders |
| 4 | Cameron Knowles | Rochester Rhinos, Seattle Sounders |
| 5 | Cameron Knowles | Puerto Rico Islanders, Miami FC |
| 5 | Bryan Little | Puerto Rico Islanders, Miami FC |
| 7 | Miguel Guante | Montreal Impact |
| 8 | Leonard Griffin | Minnesota Thunder, Vancouver Whitecaps |
| 9 | Justin Thompson | Atlanta Silverbacks |
| 11 | Chris Brown | Carolina RailHawks, Atlanta Silverbacks |
| 14 | Lawrence Olum | Atlanta Silverbacks, Charleston Battery |
| 15 | Brad Knighton | Carolina RailHawks |
| 15 | Cameron Knowles | Carolina RailHawks |
| 16 | Bryan Jordan | Minnesota Thunder |
| 17 | Bryan Jordan | Seattle Sounders, Charleston Battery |
| 18 | Bryan Jordan | Montreal Impact |
| 18 | Scot Thompson | Montreal Impact |
| 21 | Chris Brown | Miami FC, Rochester Rhinos, Montreal Impact |

### Statistics
#### Appearances and goals

All players contracted or loaned to the club during the season included.
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | USL-1 | USL-1 | U.S. Open Cup | U.S. Open Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | USA | Jordan James | 4 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 2 | MF | USA | Miguel Guante | 29 | 2 | 20+8 | 2 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | USA | Tim Karalexis | 11 | 0 | 3+7 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | CAN | Justin Thompson | 25 | 2 | 22+2 | 2 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | NZL | Cameron Knowles | 29 | 0 | 29+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | USA | Shaun Higgins | 28 | 2 | 26+2 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | USA | Tom Poltl | 25 | 0 | 22+3 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 9 | MF | USA | Kiki Lara | 7 | 0 | 1+5 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | CIV | Arsène Oka | 8 | 1 | 2+5 | 0 | 1+0 | 1 |
| 11 | FW | USA | Chris Brown | 28 | 9 | 27+0 | 8 | 1+0 | 1 |
| 12 | DF | USA | Leonard Griffin | 30 | 0 | 28+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 13 | FW | USA | Jamil Walker | 12 | 0 | 1+11 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| (13) | MF | USA | Andrew Gregor (traded to Rochester Rhinos) | 13 | 0 | 12+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | USA | Neil Dombrowski | 14 | 0 | 8+5 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | KEN | Lawrence Olum | 24 | 3 | 14+10 | 3 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | SCO | Bryan Little | 18 | 0 | 5+12 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | USA | Scot Thompson | 27 | 1 | 27+0 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 18 | GK | USA | Steve Reese | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | USA | Troy Ready | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | SOL | Benjamin Totori | 3 | 0 | 0+3 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 21 | DF | USA | Cameron Dunn | 7 | 1 | 6+1 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 |
| (22) | GK | USA | Brad Knighton (2 month loan from New England Revolution) | 8 | 0 | 8+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| (22) | MF | ENG | Tom Taylor (released) | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 23 | FW | MEX | Byron Alvarez | 9 | 1 | 7+2 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 |
| (23) | GK | USA | Ray Burse (3 month loan from FC Dallas) | 13 | 0 | 13+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| (24) | DF | ARM | Vardan Adzemian (4 month loan from Los Angeles Galaxy) | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| (25) | DF | USA | Scott Bolkan (4 month loan from Los Angeles Galaxy) | 1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| (26) | FW | USA | Bryan Jordan (3 short-term loans from Los Angeles Galaxy) | 9 | 3 | 8+1 | 3 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 30 | FW | JPN | Takayuki Suzuki | 27 | 1 | 21+5 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 32 | GK | USA | Chase Harrison | 6 | 0 | 6+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 33 | FW | USA | Chris Bagley | 27 | 2 | 11+15 | 2 | 1+0 | 0 |

#### Top scorers

Players with 1 goal or more included only.
| Rk. | Position | Player | Total | USL-1 | U.S. Open Cup |
| 1 | FW | Chris Brown | 9 | 8 | 1 |
| 2 | FW | Bryan Jordan | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 2 | MF | Lawrence Olum | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 4 | FW | Chris Bagley | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | MF | Miguel Guante | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | MF | Shaun Higgins | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | Justin Thompson | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 8 | FW | Byron Alvarez | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | DF | Cameron Dunn | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | FW | Takayuki Suzuki | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | DF | Scot Thompson | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Arsène Oka | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| | | TOTALS | 28 | 26 | 2 |

#### Disciplinary record

Players with 1 card or more included only.
| No. | Position | Player | Total | Total | USL-1 | USL-1 | U.S. Open Cup | U.S. Open Cup |
| 2 | MF | Miguel Guante | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Justin Thompson | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | Cameron Knowles | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Shaun Higgins | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Tom Poltl | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | Arsène Oka | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 11 | FW | Chris Brown | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | Leonard Griffin | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | FW | Jamil Walker | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| (13) | MF | Andrew Gregor | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | Neil Dombrowski | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | Lawrence Olum | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | Bryan Little | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | Scot Thompson | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | DF | Cameron Dunn | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | FW | Byron Alvarez | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| (23) | GK | Ray Burse | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| (26) | FW | Bryan Jordan | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | FW | Takayuki Suzuki | 8 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | FW | Chris Bagley | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | | TOTALS | 64 | 7 | 59 | 7 | 5 | 0 |

#### Goalkeeper stats

All goalkeepers included.
| No. | Nat. | Player | Total | Total | Total | Total | USL-1 | USL-1 | USL-1 | USL-1 | U.S. Open Cup | U.S. Open Cup | U.S. Open Cup | U.S. Open Cup |
| No. | Nat. | Player | MIN | GA | GAA | SV | MIN | GA | GAA | SV | MIN | GA | GAA | SV |
| 1 | | Jordan James | 360 | 8 | 2.00 | 15 | 270 | 5 | 1.67 | 11 | 90 | 3 | 3.00 | 4 |
| 18 | | Steve Reese | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
| (22) | | Brad Knighton | 720 | 10 | 1.25 | 27 | 720 | 10 | 1.25 | 27 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
| (23) | | Ray Burse | 1170 | 9 | 0.69 | 50 | 1170 | 9 | 0.69 | 50 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
| 32 | | Chase Harrison | 540 | 9 | 1.76 | 13 | 540 | 9 | 1.76 | 13 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
| | | TOTALS | 2790 | 36 | 1.16 | 105 | 2700 | 33 | 1.10 | 101 | 90 | 3 | 3.00 | 4 |

### Player movement
#### Transfers in

| Date | Player | Position | Previous club | Fee/notes |
| December 5, 2007 | Tim Karalexis | DF | Charleston Battery | Acquired in exchange for Luke Kreamalmeyer |
| December 18, 2007 | Miguel Guante | MF | Miami FC | Free |
| January 18, 2008 | Chris Brown | FW | Real Salt Lake | Free |
| February 28, 2008 | Jordan James | GK | Houston Dynamo | Free |
| March 7, 2008 | Arsène Oka | MF | New England Revolution | Free |
| March 28, 2008 | Takayuki Suzuki | FW | Yokohama F. Marinos | Free |
| April 15, 2008 | Leonard Griffin | DF | Columbus Crew | Free |
| April 16, 2008 | Bryan Little | MF | Auckland City | Free |
| April 17, 2008 | Benjamin Totori | FW | Waitakere United | Free |
| May 6, 2008 | Steve Reese | GK | Portland Timbers | Free |
| May 6, 2008 | Tom Taylor | MF | Portland Timbers | Free |
| July 9, 2008 | Chase Harrison | GK | Rochester Rhinos | Acquired with Jamil Walker in exchange for Andrew Gregor |
| July 9, 2008 | Jamil Walker | FW | Carolina RailHawks | Acquired with Chase Harrison in exchange for Andrew Gregor |
| July 22, 2008 | Byron Alvarez | FW | Charleston Battery | Free |
| August 1, 2008 | Cameron Dunn | DF | Hollywood United | Free |

#### Loans in

| Date | Player | Position | Loaned from | Fee/notes |
| April 7, 2008 | Ray Burse | GK | FC Dallas | Season-long loan with option to recall; recalled by FC Dallas on July 2, 2008 |
| April 14, 2008 | Vardan Adzemian | DF | Los Angeles Galaxy | Season-long loan with option to recall; recalled by Los Angeles Galaxy on August 1, 2011 |
| April 14, 2008 | Scott Bolkan | DF | Los Angeles Galaxy | Season-long loan with option to recall; recalled by Los Angeles Galaxy on August 1, 2011 |
| June 4, 2008 | Bryan Jordan | FW | Los Angeles Galaxy | Short-term loan; returned to Los Angeles Galaxy after 2 games |
| June 27, 2008 | Bryan Jordan | FW | Los Angeles Galaxy | Short-term loan; returned to Los Angeles Galaxy after 2 games |
| July 2, 2008 | Brad Knighton | GK | New England Revolution | Season-long loan with option to recall; recalled by New England Revolution on August 22, 2011 |
| July 30, 2008 | Bryan Jordan | FW | Los Angeles Galaxy | Season-long loan with option to recall; recalled by Los Angeles Galaxy on September 3, 2011 |

#### Transfers out

| Date | Player | Position | Destination club | Fee/notes |
| End of 2007 season | Jaime Ambriz | FW | N/A | Contract expired and not re-signed |
| End of 2007 season | Bayard Elfvin | GK | N/A | Contract expired and not re-signed |
| End of 2007 season | David Hague | FW | N/A | Contract expired and not re-signed |
| End of 2007 season | Luc Harrington | FW | N/A | Contract expired and not re-signed |
| End of 2007 season | Garrett Marcum | DF | N/A | Contract expired and not re-signed |
| End of 2007 season | Lee Morrison | DF | N/A | Contract expired and not re-signed |
| End of 2007 season | Matt Taylor | FW | N/A | Contract expired and not re-signed |
| December 5, 2007 | Luke Kreamalmeyer | MF | Charleston Battery | Traded for Tim Karalexis |
| December 5, 2007 | Kevin Meissner | DF | Unattached | Released |
| January 17, 2008 | Tom Taylor | MF | Unattached | Released |
| March 25, 2008 | Josh Wicks | GK | Los Angeles Galaxy | Undisclosed |
| March 25, 2008 | Bryan Jordan | FW | Los Angeles Galaxy | Undisclosed |
| June 25, 2008 | Tom Taylor | MF | Unattached | Released |
| July 9, 2008 | Andrew Gregor | MF | Rochester Rhinos | Traded for Chase Harrison and Jamil Walker |