In December 2022, first-year head coach Rhian Wilkinson resigned. The joint NWSL/NWSL Players Association (NWSLPA) report on league-wide abuse allegations revealed that Wilkinson allegedly self-reported having exchanged messages expressing mutual romantic feelings with Thorns FC player Emily Menges, who also served as treasurer of the NWSLPA. Wilkinson and Menges had previously been teammates when Wilkinson played for the Thorns in 2015. Wilkinson's resignation came in spite of the report also stating that Wilkinson did not violate league policies and did not suggest ending her employment.[2][3]
In January 2023, following the release of the joint NWSL and NWSLPA report and subsequent allegations of league policy violations in the club's actions around Paul Riley, the NWSL fined Thorns FC $1 million, retroactively satisfied by a previous $1 million pledge by owner Merritt Paulson toward establishing an NWSL player safety office. Paulson also announced his intent to sell the Thorns.[4] An early investment group led by former Nike executive Melanie Strong reportedly valued the Thorns at $60 million in a formal bid for a majority stake in the team.[5]
The same investigation also alleged that Thorns FC head athletic trainer Pierre Soubrier inappropriately distributed medication containing codeine to players during the 2022 semifinals, and that assistant coach Sophie Clough inappropriately kissed a player's neck during the team's championship celebrations. The club terminated both employees' employment following the report's release.[6]
Hirings
On January 10, 2023, Thorns FC announced the hiring of Mike Norris, an assistant on Wilkinson's Thorns FC staff and former Canadian women's national soccer team assistant and goalkeeper coach, as her replacement.[7]
On March 23, Thorns FC announced the hiring of Rob Gale and Katie Quinlan as assistant coaches. Gale was formerly head coach and general manager of Canadian Premier League team Valour FC and a youth coach for the Canadian women's national team, and Quinlan was director of player development for Texas club Gulf Coast SC and head coach and technical director for Blackburn Rovers L.F.C.[8]
In the April 29 match against Angel City FC, Thorns goalkeeper Bella Bixby scored a backheel goal in the final minutes of stoppage time to secure a 3–3 draw. The goal was the second in league history scored by a goalkeeper with both being equalizing goals scored in Providence Park by Thorns goalkeepers off stoppage-time corners in regular-season draws, following Michelle Betos's goal in a 1–1 draw against FC Kansas City on June 19, 2015.[10][11]
Portland went undefeated in league play during April, winning three matches and drawing two to finish the month at the top of the table with 11 points,[10] but lost its first Challenge Cup match of the season against San Diego Wave FC 0–1 on April 19.[12]
The Thorns' May 21 home match against Chicago Red Stars drew 20,402 in attendance, the team's largest regular-season attendance since 2019.
May
On May 6 on the road against North Carolina Courage, the Thorns finished with a second consecutive 3–3 draw. Former Courage player Crystal Dunn scored a brace, with Olivia Moultrie's 83rd-minute equalizer salvaging the point.[13] The Thorns then suffered their first loss of the regular season against Houston Dash, taking an early lead on a Raquel Rodríguez goal but conceding to Joelle Anderson and Ebony Salmon in Houston.[14]
The Thorns responded at home on May 21 by scoring three goals in the first 16 minutes and adding a fourth in the second half in a shutout win against Chicago Red Stars. The match featured the second career goal of center back Kelli Hubly.[15] The match marked the third consecutive season that the Thorns had scored three goals on a team in the opening 16 minutes of a match, and the second time in three seasons that the Thorns had done so to Chicago.[16][17]
The May 21 match drew an attendance of 20,402, the team's largest home attendance to a regular-season match since the 2019 season.[18]
On May 26, the Thorns managed another late draw on the road, this time against San Diego Wave FC. Portland required a 90th-minute goal from rookie defender Reyna Reyes, her first professional score, from a Sam Coffey corner to equalize in the 1–1 tie.[19]
June
The Thorns opened June with their first-ever win at Lumen Field by defeating Cascadian rivals OL Reign 2–0.[20] The result was also the Thorns' first win against the Reign since the 2020 NWSL Fall Series.[21]Sophia Smith broke a seven-match goalscoring drought, the longest such drought of her career, with her 17th-minute goal,[22] and Christine Sinclair scored the Thorns' second tally in the 87th minute. Sinclair's goal marked the 60th match in all competitions in which she had scored, setting an NWSL record.[21] The match was the second of a doubleheader with the Seattle Sounders FC and Timbers, who played to a scoreless draw; the combined event sold more than 42,000 tickets.[23] Combined with a NJ/NY Gotham FC loss to San Diego Wave FC the following day, the result returned the Thorns to the top of the table.[21]
On June 22, 2023, the Thorns permanently transferred midfielder Lindsey Horan to Olympique Lyonnais, where she had been on loan since January 2022.[24] Lyon paid a transfer fee of €250,000 (US$274,000) with a conditional bonus of an additional €50,000 (US$54,750).[25]
Stadium and facilities
Thorns FC continued to play and train in Providence Park, their home since the team's inaugural season in 2013.
Player criticism
In an interview with ESPN on July 13, 2023, midfielder Lindsey Horan — who transferred from the Thorns to Olympique Lyon midseason while still on loan — cited the team's lack of a dedicated training facility compared to the Timbers, and lack of grass pitches for training and playing, in her decision to remain in France.[26] Active Thorns players Meghan Klingenberg and Bella Bixby added public criticism of the Providence Park surface and Thorns's lack of training facility to The Oregonian on July 20.[27]
Portland finished second in the West Division during the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup and did not advance. Thorns FC returned to the West Division in the 2023 tournament.
Traded to Angel City FC in exchange for the fifth-overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft, a second-round pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft, and $200,000 in allocation money. As part of the transaction, Ryan was traded by Angel City to Gotham FC with $250,000 in allocation money in exchange for the first-overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft.
^Horan, Lindsey (July 13, 2023). "Horan warns World Cup rivals: 'There's MORE to come' from her and USWNT". Futbol Americas (Interview). Interviewed by Sebastian Salazar. ESPN FC. Retrieved July 13, 2023. Health-wise, physically, I wanted to be in a place where I could be training on grass every single day as well. It's a major component that's not seen as much in the NWSL, and where certain teams are training, and especially in Portland. I would hate myself if I didn't say that because they deserve better as well. ... They need to have a facility for the women as well. How do the Timbers have it but the Thorns don't? (3:25–4:31)
