History of the 1986

Western Soccer Alliance Western Soccer Alliance was a professional soccer league featuring teams from the West Coast of the United States and Western Canada. The league began in 1985 as the Western Alliance Challenge Series. In 1986, it became the Western Soccer All ...

season.

History

After the success of the

1985 Western Alliance Challenge Series History of the 1985 Western Alliance Challenge Series. This series of games which included F.C. Seattle, the Victoria Riptide, F.C. Portland and the San Jose Earthquakes led to the creation of the Western Soccer Alliance which later merged with ...

, three of the teams from that series, F.C. Seattle, F.C. Portland and the

San Jose Earthquakes The San Jose Earthquakes are an American professional soccer team based in San Jose, California. The Earthquakes compete as a member club of the Western Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). Originally as the San Jose Clash, the franchis ...

established the

. The Victoria Riptide, a participant in 1985, did not return but was replaced by the

Edmonton Brick Men The Edmonton Brick Men (also Edmonton Brickmen) were a Canadian soccer team in Edmonton, Alberta that competed in the Canadian Soccer League and the Western Soccer Alliance. During their time in the WSA and the CSL, the team played at both John ...

which had played games against the series team in 1985. These teams were joined by the Hollywood Kickers,

Los Angeles Heat Los Angeles Heat joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. They joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the WSL merged with the American Soccer League, then folded in 1990. The club played in Torrance, California at West Hi ...

and

San Diego Nomads Nomads Soccer Club (formerly San Diego Nomads) is an American soccer club based in San Diego, California. From 1986 to 1990, the club fielded a professional senior team, but has since operated as an amateur and youth club. History The Nomads we ...

expanded the alliance from its Northwest Pacific roots into southern California. The Alliance played a regular season schedule only. Continuing the previous season's tradition of playing with a guest team - in that year, the

, who had subsequently joined the league proper for 1986 - the Western Soccer Alliance this time sought two guest teams, turning this time to the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. The two teams recruited were the English

Football League First Division The Football League First Division was a division of the Football League in England from 1888 until 2004. It was the top division in the English football league system from the season 1888–89 until 1991–92, a century in which the First D ...

side

Manchester City Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The two ...

and Scottish

Premier Division Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of gov ...

side Dundee, who each played one away match against each team and played no home fixtures. In the event, F.C. Portland were unable to play their game against Manchester City, instead rescheduling their game for later in the season, and replacing City - who had returned to England for the start of their own season - with a team composed of former

Portland Timbers The Portland Timbers are an American professional men's soccer club based in Portland, Oregon. The Timbers compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The Timbers have played their home games at ...

players.

League standings

Results

Points leaders

Honors

* MVP:

Paul Caligiuri Paul David Caligiuri (born March 9, 1964) is an American former soccer player who played as a defensive midfielder. Caligiuri's professional career spanned 16 years, during which he played for numerous teams in the United States and Germany, ...

* Leading goal scorer:

Brent Goulet Brent Goulet (born June 19, 1964) is a retired American soccer forward who later coached SV Elversberg from 2004 to 2008. He began his career in the United States before moving to England and Germany, and also earned eight caps with the U.S. ...

* Leading goalkeeper: Lorenzo Caccialanza *First Team All League :Goalkeeper: Lorenzo Caccialanza :Defenders:

Dale Ervine Dale Ervine (born May 19, 1964 in Torrance, California) is a former U.S. soccer midfielder who spent most of his career playing indoor soccer. He also earned five caps with the U.S. national team between 1985 and 1993. College After graduating ...

Paul Krumpe Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) * Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity * Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chr ...

Martín Vásquez Martín Vásquez Gómez (born December 24, 1963) is an American former professional soccer player. The first of five players to have played for both the United States and Mexico, he has served as a coach since retiring. Playing career Youth ...

:Midfielders:

, Dennis Gunnel, Hugo Perez :Forwards:

Chance Fry Chance Fry (born June 29, 1964, in Bellevue, Washington) is a retired U.S. soccer forward who began his career straight out of high school with the Seattle Sounders of the North American Soccer League. With the collapse of the NASL, he moved t ...

Jeff Hooker Jeff Hooker (born March 21, 1965) is a retired U.S. soccer forward who currently coaches the University of Denver women's soccer team. Hooker earned twelve caps, scoring one goal, with the U.S. national team between 1984 and 1987 and was a me ...

, Mark Miller *Second Team All League :Goalkeeper:

Todd Strobeck Known to most as une Todd Todd Strobeck (born August 17, 1966) is a retired U.S. soccer goalkeeper who four seasons in the Western Soccer Alliance, one in the American Professional Soccer League, one in Major Indoor Soccer League and at least on ...

:Defenders: Mark Arquette, Jens Ole-Knudsen, Scott Murray, Tim Schulz :Midfielders: Drew Ferguson, Doug Swanson :Forwards: Tim Barto, Ross Ongaro, Rob Ryerson,

Dzung Tran Dzung Tran is a retired Vietnamese-American soccer player who spent time in the Major Indoor Soccer League, Western Soccer Alliance and National Professional Soccer League. In 1978, Tran, his father and brother, escaped Vietnam after the commu ...

References

The Year in American Soccer - 1986
{{DEFAULTSORT:1986 Western Soccer Alliance Season Western Soccer Alliance seasons 3 Manchester City F.C.