The A-League is a professional men's soccer league in North America. It is the second division of soccer in the United States behind Major League Soccer, and is effectively the top division in Canada. The A-League is managed by the United Soccer Leagues (USL).

The American Professional Soccer League was formed in 1990 with the merger of the Western Soccer League and the New American Soccer League. The APSL was officially sanctioned as an outdoor pro league in 1992 by United States Soccer Federation and changed its name to A-League Soccer in 1995. The league's member clubs and divisional alignments have historically been in constant flux. New clubs in Edmonton, Alberta and Puerto Rico competed in 2004, although Edmonton had financially difficulties and it is uncertain whether they will compete in 2005. Many clubs have dropped out of the A-League because of financial difficulties.

Unlike most other nations, there is currently no system of promotion and relegation in American soccer; it has repeatedly been suggested to introduce it, but many feel that such a system is contrary to the way Americans think about sports and, more importantly, it is not currently practical given the financial state of American soccer..

1 External links

Contents

1 2004 Teams 1.1 Eastern Conference 1.2 Western Conference 2 Past Champions

2004 Teams

Eastern Conference

• Atlanta Silverbacks
• Charleston Battery
• Montreal Impact
• Puerto Rico Islanders
• Richmond Kickers
• Rochester Raging Rhinos
• Syracuse Salty Dogs [1]
• Toronto Lynx
• Virginia Beach Mariners

Western Conference

• Calgary Mustangs [2]
• Edmonton Aviators [3]
• Milwaukee Wave United [4]
• Minnesota Thunder
• Portland Timbers
• Seattle Sounders
• Vancouver Whitecaps

Past Champions

• 1990 Maryland Bays 2-0 Ft Lauderdale Strikers
• 1991 San Francisco Bay Blackhawks 0-0 (PKs) Albany Capitals
• 1992 Colorado Foxes 1-0 Tampa Bay Rowdies
• 1993 Colorado Foxes 1-1 (SO) Los Angelos Salsa
• 1994 Montreal Impact 1-0 Colorado Foxes
• 1995 Seattle Sounders 1-1 (SO) Atlanta Ruckus
• 1996 Seattle Sounders 2-0 Rochester Rhinos
• 1997 Milwaukee Rampage 1-1 (SO) Carolina Dynamo
• 1998 Rochester Raging Rhinos 3-1 Minnesota Thunder
• 1999 Minnesota Thunder 2-1 Rochester Raging Rhinos
• 2000 Rochester Raging Rhinos 3-1 Minnesota Thunder
• 2001 Rochester Raging Rhinos 2-0 Hershey Wildcats
• 2002 Milwaukee Rampage 2-1 (2OT) Richmond Kickers
• 2003 Charleston Battery 3-0 Minnesota Thunder
• 2004 Montreal Impact 2-0 Seattle Sounders

External links

• Official league web site