Wojtek Wojcicki did not kill the Drillers.

But the former owner of what is suddenly a former indoor soccer team, was unable to save them. In that regard he has failed himself, the players, the league, the people and businesses in Edmonton who are owed in excess of $150,000, the fan base which was too small but plenty devoted, the kids who might even have dreamed of playing for the Drillers one day.

But Wojcicki is not really the villain in this piece. When the National Professional Soccer League folded the Drillers franchise on Thursday, Wojcicki became yet another victim of a deadly combination; good intentions and bad timing.

He wanted only to save the team, which had been established in 1996-97 by Peter Pocklington and then sold before the 1998-99 NPSL season as the former Oiler owner's Edmonton sports empire crumbled. Wojcicki's accomplishment was only a modest one. He did not keep the Drillers viable but at least he kept them in Edmonton for another two full seasons until dwindling crowds and daunting expenses forced him to withdraw from the business of sport. Two weeks ago, when he couldn't cover the team's payroll, he surrendered operation of the franchise to the NPSL head office. The team was plunged into a death spiral on that day and reached its predictable end on Thursday.

"It's too bad. It really is," he sighed on Thursday.

Front-office workers will lose their jobs. Wojcicki may see his advertising company in bankruptcy proceedings as it had written loans to the Drillers that won't be paid back.

The aftermath threatens to be painful, and he knows the fallout won't cast him in a flattering light.

"I've never gone through any of this. It depends on how people see it. If you look at it and say, 'Here's a guy who took advantage of society,' you're going to encourage certain things. If you say, 'He put his whole life into it,' that's something different."

There is little doubt Wojcicki dove into the sports world with a purpose. Though he didn't have an extensive knowledge of soccer, he believed the Drillers could provide affordable and professional entertainment and wouldn't cost him his future. It always sounded a bit naive when he said it.

Pocklington made it work because he controlled Skyreach Centre and took money from concessions and parking. Wojcicki never found a seat on that gravy train, though he did have his building deal softened in the second year. Sadly, the Drillers were already behind the eight-ball by then.

"My intentions were definitely right," he said. "I will never doubt that. But the obstacles that are set forth are such that it's rather difficult to operate. Before anybody does anything like this, they had better make sure and have it in writing that you have the support of the people you need. Don't get caught like I did."

He was caught in a financial squeeze. Salaries for players, coaches and office staff were too high. Local players would have been cheaper, though perhaps not as successful. The lease deal was prohibitive in Year 1, the general malaise at the turnstiles fatal in Years 2 and 3. Wojcicki said on Thursday that his game night costs at Skyreach ranged from $13,000 to $15,000. But if he had drawn 8,000 fans, Northlands would not have charged him rent, content to have those people spending money on beer and parking. He would instead have to cover only $5,500 in costs.

But the fans stayed away and Wojcicki went looking to sell. He was so certain that Drillers Investors Group would buy him out that he went ahead with plans for this season when the team should have already drowned in red ink. D.I.G. didn't like the look of the balance sheet and eventually looked the other way while the team folded. Wojcicki now has to look ahead.

"You try and kick start something different. Do you stop giving toward the community? I don't think so.

"I can't tell you the number of people who came up to me at the (final two home games) and said 'Thank you for trying.' They tried too.

"I don't like to fail. The intention was never to do so. The intention wasn't to go out and make a heap of money. The intention was to break even at the greatest."

He claims instead that he lost more than $1.5 million and obviously can't pay his creditors.

If the NPSL plans a return here in a year, as commissioner Steve Ryan purports, they would be wise to make good on those debts.

It's the least the league could do after sitting idly by as Wojcicki's dream died.

"The sad part about it is, here is something to this day I do believe is a worthwhile product to have in the Edmonton mix," said Wojcicki.

E-mail Dan Barnes at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

CHECKERED PAST

The Drillers are the fifth Edmonton pro soccer team to fail in the past 22 years:

- 1. The Black Gold, an independent team, played in 1978.

- 2. The Drillers played in the North American Soccer League from 1979-81.

- 3. The Eagles played in the Canadian Professional Soccer League in 1983.

- 4. The Brickmen played exhibition games in 1985, in the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986 and in the Canadian Soccer League from 1987-91.

- 5. The Drillers played in the indoor National Professional Soccer League from 1996-2000.

- OF NOTE -- Peter Pocklington was involved as the owner of three of the teams: the original Drillers, the Brickmen after their inaugural season and the first two years with the indoor Drillers.

LITTLE IMPACT

Northlands spokesperson Cheryl Herchen said Thursday the announcement of the Drillers' demise won't impact the organization that much, although it does mean the loss of one tenant.

"It is more unfortunate for the community,'' she said.

Mayor Bill Smith said it was too bad the support wasn't there to help keep the franchise alive. But he has high hopes for next year.

"It's done for this year, but perhaps someone will look at it again next year. I think the key to it is the stability of the whole league, and perhaps we can come back with the Drillers under new management and ownership because they have an exciting product.

"I think under the right ownership and promotion, they could be a financial success.''