Colorado Rapids completed their preparations for the inaugural MLS season with a 6-0 win over Colorado College, played at Westminster City Park, on Sunday, April 7, 1996. Chris Henderson and Jean Harbor, the Rapids' first-ever draft pick, scored two goals each. Troy Edwards and Steve Trittschuh added the others.

As the team looked longingly toward their opening match of that first season, on the road at Kansas City Wiz six days later, head coach Bobby Houghton said: "I am very pleased with the progress this team has made. I believe we are physically and mentally prepared to open the season this Saturday at Kansas City."

The team which would open the 1996 season for the Colorado Rapids is listed below, with what they are doing now, 20 years on from that historic first game.

Dusty Hudock (9 appearances, 1996 & 1998): now coaching youth soccer in South Carolina, goalkeeper Hudock started nine games in that first season - after being selected ninth in the first round (169th overall) of the College/Supplemental Draft - including the opening four encounters, and the last game of the campaign. He mainly, though, played understudy to former England international Chris Woods. Hudock departed Colorado at the end of the 1996 season, and played at Seattle Sounders in the A-League, returning briefly in 1998 as emergency cover in the absence of Paul Grafer, though he did not add to his appearances as he sat behind Marcus Hahnemann.​ He would later make three starts for Miami Fusion during the 1999 season, with Pablo Mastroeni, Tyrone Marshall, Carlos Valderrama, Jeff Cassar and Jay Heaps among his teammates.

Ian Butterworth (17 appearances, 1996): Scouting Coordinator at English club Queens Park Rangers, the experienced Butterworth spent just the one season in MLS, before returning to play in Europe and IK Brage of Sweden. The former Norwich City, Coventry City and Nottingham Forest defender has since had assistant coaching spells at Darlington, Cardiff City, Bristol Rovers, Hartlepool United and Norwich.

Troy Edwards (4 appearances, 1996): the Rapids' fifth pick from the inaugural player draft, Edwards now finds himself as Director of Coaching at North Port Soccer Club in Florida. He made four appearances (three starts) during his only season in MLS. His starts came in the first three games. His final appearance came as a halftime substitute for Brian Bates in the season finale. Edwards moved into coaching from 1997 with Barry University. He was there until 2002, during which time the team reached the final four in 1999 and the Championship game a year later, which they lost in triple overtime.

Denis Hamlett (31 appearances, 1996): Named assistant coach at New York Red Bulls ahead of the 2015 season, Hamlett was drafted by the Colorado Rapids in the second round, 12th overall in Major League Soccer's inaugural draft. He played in all but one of the Rapids' games in that first season, playing more minutes (2,790) than all but Steve Trittschuh and Scott Benedetti. His playing career came to a halt before the 1997 season had even begun. The defender, nicknamed 'The Hammer', suffered a stroke during preseason when an awkward jump on a header caused an artery dissection. With his playing days finished at the age of 28, Hamlett turned his attention to coaching, gaining his licenses and enjoying spells at Chicago Fire (assistant and then head coach), Vancouver Whitecaps (assistant) and Montreal Impact (assistant).

Matt Kmosko (62 appearances, 1996-97): works in the automobile industry in Ohio. Nobody played more minutes for the Rapids over the first two seasons than defender Matt Kmosko. He played 31 of the 32 regular season games in both 1996 and 1997, for a total of 5,548 minutes, having been taken in the seventh round of the inaugural player draft. Kmosko's only goal in 103 MLS appearances (he would go on to play 41 more games across seasons 1998 and 1999 with Miami Fusion and Columbus Crew) came in that first year, during a 3-1 home defeat by Tampa Bay Mutiny on July 21. His final game for the Rapids just happened to be the club's 2-1 loss to D.C. United in the final of the 1997 MLS Cup, before he was acquired by the Fusion as part of the 1998 Expansion Draft.

Chris Henderson (178 appearances, 1996-98 & 2002-05): Henderson had two spells with the Rapids, starting with the very first game of the very first season. His MLS debut lasted 77 minutes, before he was replaced by Roy Wegerle. He led the team in assists in 1996 (8) and 1997 (13), and would score the first of his 31 goals for the club in game three of the opening season, a 4-0 home win over Kansas City Wiz. The midfielder, now Sporting Director of Seattle Sounders FC, remains one of the club's all-time greats. He is part of the Rapids' Gallery of Honor, and is the club's all-time leader in assists (53) and shots on goal (151), and sits third on the all-time list of games played (178), games started (170) and minutes played (14,784). Henderson was also a starter in the 1997 MLS Cup.

Dominic Kinnear (14 appearances, 1996): better known these days as a highly successful head coach with Houston Dynamo, Kinnear - now in charge of San Jose Earthquakes - was in at the beginning with the Rapids, having been allocated to the new club in Colorado by MLS. He managed just 14 appearances (11 starts) during his one season, before departing for San Jose in a deal which brought Paul Bravo to the Centennial State. Injuries blighted the Rapids' first season in MLS, and Kinnear was among those whose playing time was restricted as a result. His last appearance for the Rapids was July 7, 1996, when he was replaced by Marcelo Balboa after 25 minutes of the 2-1 home success over Columbus Crew.

Steve Trittschuh (91 appearances, 1996-99): Trittschuh was already an established US international by the time MLS got off the ground in 1996, having featured for the national team at the FIFA World Cup six years earlier. He made 91 regular season appearances for the Rapids, during which time he netted 18 goals and contributed eight assists. The defender was the only player on the Rapids roster to play every single minute of the first season, scoring his first goal and providing his first assist during the 4-0 win over Kansas City Wiz at Mile High Stadium on May 5, 1996. After his playing career ended, Trittschuh would return as assistant coach of the Rapids, from 2002-06. He is now into his second season as head coach of Colorado Springs Switchbacks in USL

Shaun Bartlett (36 appearances, 1996-97): Bartlett spent a season-and-a-half with the Rapids, featuring in 36 games while scoring nine goals. His maiden goal came in the second game of the inaugural season, the opening home game and a 3-1 win over Dallas on April 21. The striker would finish as the team's second top scorer (8) at the end of the '96 season. He was also second on the list of assists (7). Bartlett arrived in MLS just months after helping South Africa to victory in the Africa Cup of Nations, played on home soil and with the trophy presented by Nelson Mandela. He departed Colorado midway through 1997, for the Metrostars. After his playing career came to an end in 2009, Bartlett stepped into coaching, and was assistant with Durban-based Golden Arrows until last summer. He now enjoys time as a TV analyst for Supersport in South Africa.

Scott Benedetti (35 appearances, 1996-97): only Steve Trittschuh (2,880) played more minutes in the Rapids' first season than midfield/forward Scott Benedetti (2,815), who having spent his time breaking down defenses now takes pride in building luxury homes in the Portland area. He played in all 32 games of the 1996 season, though was one of two players subbed out of the opener. Benedetti made way for Richard Sharpe after 77 minutes of the 3-0 loss at Kansas City Wiz. He again started the next game, the first home match, and was on hand to assist Marcelo Balboa's second goal in a 3-1 win over Dallas Burn. Benedetti was the club's eighth pick (72nd overall) from the player draft, arriving from a second spell at nearby Colorado Foxes.

Jean Harbor (29 appearances, 1996): Nigeria-born Harbor is one of just three players from the original starters that no longer earns a living out of soccer, and yet he was the shining light in an otherwise disappointing first season back in 1996, as well as being the club's first-ever pick from the first-ever draft. The former Tampa Bay Rowdies and Montreal Impact player was leading scorer, with 11 goals from 29 games (27 starts). That would be his sum total within MLS, before he returned to the indoor soccer scene with teams in Seattle, Fort Lauderdale and Philadelphia. Having majored in chemistry from Alabama A&M University, Harbor has gone far beyond the sport of soccer in his work as a NASA engineer in Maryland.

Subs used: Roy Wegerle (on for Henderson, 77'); Richard Sharpe (on for Benedetti, 77').

Head coach: Bobby Houghton.

You can watch the 56th regular season meeting between these two original franchises, live on Altitude 2, this Wednesday. Coverage starts at 6:00 p.m MT, with the match due to get underway at 6.30 p.m.