The North American Soccer League was created in 1968 when the United Soccer Association (USA) and the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) merged. After enjoying incredible success on the field and experiencing rises in attendance, the league expanded in 1975 to include the Portland Timbers. However, many of the teams began suffering financial problems and 17 of the 24 teams folded by 1984, causing the league itself to fold in 1985. The Timbers played their final season for almost twenty years in 1982, and would not re-emerge until 2001.

The Portland Timbers began play in the NASL in 1975, playing a 22 game schedule. The inaugural season was highlighted by an away win against the New York Cosmos and playing in front of record home crowds that exceeded 20,000. Vic Crowe’s Timbers finished the season 16-6, thanks in large part to the 16-goal tally of striker Peter Withe, which earned the team a berth in the playoffs. After beating the Seattle Sounders in the first round and the St. Louis Stars in the second, the Timbers found themselves playing for the NASL title in the 1975 Soccer Bowl. In front of a crowd of 17,009 in San Jose, the Timbers fell 2-0 to the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

The 1976 season turned out to be a disappointing second year for the Timbers, who were unable to capitalize on an extra two regular season games. Despite a season-opening win in Vancouver, the Timbers would suffer from two five-game losing streaks that would doom them to an 8-16 record. The Timbers suffered in front of goal, with no striker netting more than three and the team’s highest scorer coming from Tony Betts in midfield.

To solve their striker woes, the Timbers signed West Ham United striker Clyde Best to the team for the 1977 season. Born in Bermuda, Best is best known in England for being one of the first black players following World War II. Best contributed seven goals on the season and strike partner Stewart Scullion added 11 to help the team improve slightly to a 10-16 record. Although winning again at Vancouver in the first game of the season, the team lost seven of its last nine matches.

Don Megson was hired as head coach for the 1978 season after Brian Tiler was unable to turn the team around in 1977. Megson was finally able to replicate the success of the 1975 season, with the team improving to 20-10 and qualifying for the playoffs. Like the inaugural team, the ’78 Timbers were also able to advance several rounds into the playoffs, defeating Washington in the first round and Vancouver in the second round before succumbing to Franz Beckenbauer and the New York Cosmos in the semi-finals.

Megson was unable to repeat his own success, however, and the team again struggled in 1979. Early in the season, the team suffered due to a player walkout when all of the Timbers honored the NASL Players Association’s decision to strike. This led to Portland fielding a team of amateur players for their home game against Minnesota, which they lost 2-0. The strike did not last, though, and the players returned to action against Vancouver the following week. They would only be able to muster an 11-19 season, and Don Megson did not return the following season.

The 1980 campaign saw the introduction of two managers and a mild improvement in the overall record. Peter Warner began the year as head coach, but was replaced by Vic Crowe during the season. Crowe had been the manager when the Timbers were first incorporated in 1975 and hoped to reach the playoffs like he had when he had first arrived. The team did not reach the postseason, however, only posting a 15-17 record on the year.

John Bain and Dale Mitchell scored 11 goals each in 1981 to help Crowe and the rest of the Timbers make it to the playoffs for the last time by posting a 17-15 record during the regular season. Portland drew the San Diego Sockers in a best-of-three series, which they opened with a 2-1 win on goals from Alistair Brown and Stuart Lee. However, the Timbers would fall to the Sockers 5-1 and 2-0 in the remaining two games to see their post-season hopes dashed early.

The NASL Timbers played their final season in 1982, which again saw the team finish with a losing record. Ron Futcher scored 13 and John Bain added 12 goals on the year, but the Timbers finished the season with a 14-18 record. Despite increases in attendance across the league, player salaries and other expenses became too much and the team played its last game on August 22, a game they lost to Seattle 1-0.