was a Japanese

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

club based in

Toyama Toyama may refer to: Places and organizations * Toyama Prefecture, a prefecture of Japan located in the Hokuriku region on the main Honshu island * Toyama, Toyama, the capital city of Toyama Prefecture * Toyama Station, the main station of Toyama, ...

, the capital city of

Toyama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Toyama Prefecture has a population of 1,044,588 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,247.61 km2 (1,640.01 sq mi). Toyama Prefecture borders Ishikawa Prefecture to the ...

. They played in the

Japan Football League The also known as simply the JFL is the 4th tier of the Japanese association football league system, positioned beneath the three divisions of the J.League. The league features fully professional teams that hold J.League associate membership am ...

, and their team colour was blue. Their nickname ''ALO's'' derives from ''

Antelopes The term antelope is used to refer to many species of even-toed ruminant that are indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia. Antelope comprise a wastebasket taxon defined as any of numerous Old World grazing and browsing hoofed mammal ...

.'' '' Hokuriku'' refers to the region that includes Toyama and its neighbouring prefectures.

History

As an amateur team

The club was founded as

Hokuriku Electric Power Company The Hokuriku Electric Power Company supplies power by a regulated monopoly to Toyama Prefecture, Ishikawa Prefecture, the northern part of Fukui Prefecture, and northwestern parts of Gifu Prefecture. It is often abbreviated within its area of ...

's football club in 1990. They changed their name to ALO's Hokuriku to show their intention to be more community-oriented in 1996, although the company still control the club (thus rendering it ineligible for promotion to the

J. League The , officially is Japan's professional football league including the first division J1 League, second division J2 League and third division J3 League of the Japanese association football league system. J1 League is one of the most succe ...

, regardless of results). They have been playing in the JFL since 2000. Since they were in regional league, YKK AP F.C. had been the biggest rival all the time as they have to compete for the right to participate in

Emperor's Cup , commonly known as or also Japan FA Cup is a Japanese football competition. It has the longest tradition of any football match in Japan, dating back to 1921, before the formation of the J.League, Japan Football League and their predecessor, J ...

as the representative of Toyama.

Merger as a professional team

On September 10, 2007, Hokuriku Electric Power Company and

YKK The is a Japanese group of manufacturing companies. As the world's largest zipper manufacturer, YKK Group is most known for making zippers. It also manufactures other fastening products, architectural products, plastic hardware and industrial ...

agreed with merging their teams to aim promotion to the J. League, the national supreme football league in Japan, in response to an eager request by Toyama Football Association (TFA). According to local broadcasting company Tulip TV, over 20 companies informally promised to invest in the new team. In the media briefing, Governor of Toyama Prefecture also participated. TFA has founded an organization named "" with two major economic organization and representatives of Hokuriku Electric Power Company and YKK. The Japan Football League confirmed that the merged club would compete in the JFL from the 2008 season. The new merged club is named as

Kataller Toyama is a football club in Japan that was formed from the merger of the ALO's Hokuriku and YKK AP SC. The club currently plays in J3 League. History The idea of a merged club had been discussed by the Toyama Prefectural Football Association as e ...

and ALO's Hokuriku ceased to exist.

Stadiums

They played their home games at Toyama Athletic Recreation Park Stadium, as well as Toyama Iwase Sports Park Ball Game Stadium and Toyama Gofuku Park Athletic Stadium. They also played one game each per season in adjoining

Ishikawa Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu island. Ishikawa Prefecture has a population of 1,140,573 (31 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,186 km2 (1,616 sq mi). Ishikawa Prefecture borders Toyama Prefecture to ...

and

Fukui Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Fukui Prefecture has a population of 778,943 (1 June 2017) and has a geographic area of 4,190 km2 (1,617 sq mi). Fukui Prefecture borders Ishikawa Prefecture to the north, Gi ...

Results in JFL

2000: 8th
2001: 15th
2002: 14th
2003: 14th
2004: 10th
2005: 3rd
2006: 8th
2007: 4th

External links

Official Website
Kataller Toyama Defunct football clubs in Japan Association football clubs established in 1990 Sports teams in Toyama Prefecture 1990 establishments in Japan Japan Football League clubs Association football clubs disestablished in 2007 {{Japan-footyclub-stub