A-League (1995–2004)

Sport	soccer
Founded	1995
Country(ies)	United States  Canada
Ceased	2004
Last champion(s)	Montreal Impact

The A-League was a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. During it’s first season, 1995, it was the de facto top professional soccer league in both countries. However in 1996 it was replaced at the top of the United States soccer pyramid by Major League Soccer. It remained on the top of Canadian soccer pyramid throughout it‘s existence. The origins of the league are complex. The name was first used by the American Professional Soccer League during its final two seasons, 1995 and 1996. However before the 1997 season this league was absorbed into the USISL Select League. The USISL would eventually become the United Soccer Leagues. The USL continued to use the A-League name until 2004 when it became the USL First Division.

Contents 1 History 1.1 APSL 1.2 USISL A-League 2 Champions 2.1 Regular Season 2.2 Play Off Season 3 References

[edit] History

[edit] APSL

In 1995 the American Professional Soccer League rebranded itself the A-League and it played under this name during it’s final two seasons, 1995 and 1996. However despite this, the league faced competition on two fronts. The USISL, later to become the United Soccer Leagues, had initially confined itself to organising regional leagues. However by 1995 it began organising on a national level. By 1996, Major League Soccer was also up and running and a number of top A-League players left to join it. ^[1] In 1996 the A-League and the USISL Select League agreed to merge. Six of the seven remaining A-League teams - Montreal Impact, Colorado Foxes, Seattle Sounders, Rochester Raging Rhinos, Vancouver 86ers and Atlanta Ruckus - and two planned A-League expansion teams Toronto Lynx and Hershey Wildcats effectively joined the USISL Select League. While the majority of the teams in the new league came from the USISL, the new league retained the A-League name. ^[2]

[edit] USISL A-League

[edit] Champions

[edit] Regular Season

Season	Winner	Record (W-L-T)	Points	Playoff	Results (W-L-T)		Runners-Up	Record (W-L-T)	Points
2004	Portland Timbers	18-7-3	57	Lost in conference semifinal series overtime	1-1-0		Montreal Impact	17-6-5	56
2003	Milwaukee Wave United	18-10-0	54	Lost in division final series overtime	1-1-0		Montreal Impact	16-6-6	54
2002	Seattle Sounders	23-4-1	107	Lost in conference semifinal series	0-2-0		Charleston Battery	19-3-6	89
2001	Richmond Kickers	16-7-3	76	Lost in quarterfinal series	0-2-0		Hershey Wildcats	16-7-3	75
2000	Minnesota Thunder	20-4-4	99	Lost in final	4-2-0		Milwaukee Rampage	18-9-1	89
1999	Rochester Raging Rhinos	22-6	92	Lost in final	5-3		San Diego Flash	20-8	90
1998	Rochester Raging Rhinos	24-4	70	Won Championship	6-0		San Diego Flash	21-7	61
1997	Montreal Impact	21-7	61	Lost in conference final series	3-2		Hershey Wildcats	19-9	55
1996	Montreal Impact	21-6	55	Lost in semifinal	0-1		Colorado Foxes	16-11	44
1995	Montreal Impact	17-7	51	Lost in semifinal series	1-2		Seattle Sounders	18-6	51

[edit] Play Off Season

Season	Winner	Score	Runner-up	Top Goalscorer	Team	Goals
2004	Montreal Impact	2-0	Seattle Sounders	Alan Gordon and Dante Washington	Portland Timbers and Virginia Beach Mariners	17
2003	Charleston Battery	3-0	Minnesota Thunder	Thiago Martins	Pittsburgh Riverhounds	22
2002	Milwaukee Rampage	2-1 (2OT)	Richmond Kickers	Fadi Afash, Eduardo Sebrango, and McKinley Tennyson	Portland Timbers, Montreal Impact, and Portland Timbers	18
2001	Rochester Raging Rhinos	2-0	Hershey Wildcats	Paul Conway	Charleston Battery	22
2000	Rochester Raging Rhinos	3-1	Minnesota Thunder	Paul Conway, Greg Howes, and Johnny Menyongar	Charleston Battery, Seattle Sounders, and Minnesota Thunder	17
1999	Minnesota Thunder	2-1	Rochester Raging Rhinos	Mark Baena and Niall Thompson	Seattle Sounders and Vancouver 86ers	20
1998	Rochester Raging Rhinos	3-1	Minnesota Thunder	Mark Baena	Seattle Sounders	24
1997	Milwaukee Rampage	1-1 (SO)	Carolina Dynamo	Doug Miller	Rochester Raging Rhinos	23
1996	Seattle Sounders	2-0	Rochester Raging Rhinos	Doug Miller	Rochester Raging Rhinos	18
1995	Seattle Sounders	2-1 (SO)	Atlanta Ruckus	Peter Hattrup	Seattle Sounders	11

[edit] References