History of soccer in Los Angeles

The first professional soccer team was formed in the Los Angeles area in 1955 when the owner of the Fall River Marksmen, Sam Mark, moved the team to the West Coast. In an effort to promote soccer on the west coast, he encouraged highly decorated soccer athletes from Fall River to transfer to the west coast.

Several years after the formation of the North American Soccer League in 1968, the Los Angeles Aztecs joined NASL as an expansion team in 1974, and played from 1974 until 1981, folding after the 1981 season. The team featured international superstars such as George Best and Johan Cruyff. The team was at its most popular in 1979 and 1980, averaging over 12,000 fans both seasons.

In addition, the Los Angeles Skyhawks participated in the American Soccer League from 1976-1979.


L.A. Galaxy

The launch of Major League Soccer in 1996 included the newly formed Los Angeles Galaxy as one of the founding team. LA Soccer Partners were the original owners; Anschutz Entertainment Group is the current owner. The Galaxy won the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 2000.

Women's professional soccer

In 2009, Los Angeles became home to a third top-level professional team, the Los Angeles Sol, a charter member of Women's Professional Soccer. WPS was the second attempt to establish a fully professional women's league in the U.S., after the demise of the Women's United Soccer Association (which did not have an L.A. representative). The Sol shared The Home Depot Center, now known as StubHub Center, with the Galaxy and Chivas USA, before ceasing operations in January 2010.[1]

WPS folded after the 2011 season; its effective successor, the National Women's Soccer League, does not have a franchise in Los Angeles, or even in California.

L.A. Teams Year-by-year Results (1955-73)

Season Conf Position League Record League US Open Cup CONCACAF Champions League Club World Cup Top Scorer
P W L D F A Pts
1955 Western American Soccer League 1st Champions Final Did not qualify Did qualify
1956 Western American Soccer League 2nd Conference final Semifinal Did not qualify Did not qualify
1957 Western American Soccer League 1st Champions Quarterfinal Did not qualify Did not qualify
1958 Western American Soccer League NA Champions Champion Did Not Qualify Did Not Qualify
1959 Western American Soccer League 2nd Conference Semifinal Semifinal Did Not Qualify Did Not Qualify
1960 Western American Soccer League 1st Champions Final Did Not Qualify Did Not Qualify
1961 Western American Soccer League 1st Champions Final Did not qualify Did not qualify
1962 Western American Soccer League 1st Champions Semifinal Did not qualify Did not qualify
1963 Western American Soccer League 1st Champions Final Did not qualify Did not qualify
1964 Western American Soccer League 1st Champions Champion Did not qualify Did not qualify
1965 Western American Soccer League 3rd Conference Semifinal Semifinal Did Not Enter Did Not Qualify
1966 Western American Soccer League 2nd Conference Semifinal Semifinal Did Not Enter Did not qualify Eli Durante 15
1967 USA 1st 12 5 5 2 21 14 21 Champions Semifinal Did Not Enter Did not qualify Ernie Hunt 14
1968 NASL Pacific 3rd 32 11 8 13 55 52 139 Conference Quarterfinal Quarterfinal Did Not Enter Did Not Qualify Carlos Metidieri 16
1969 NASL 3rd Conference Quarterfinal Quarterfinal Did Not Qualify Did Not Qualify
1970 Amateur Various teams No NASL representation Final Did Not Qualify Did Not Qualify
1971 Amateur Various teams No NASL representation Quarterfinal Did Not Qualify Did Not Qualify
1972 Amateur Various teams No NASL representation Champion Did Not Qualify Did Not Qualify
1973 Amateur Various teams No NASL representation Semifinal Did Not Qualify Did Not Qualify

L.A. Aztecs (NASL) (1974-81)

Main article: Los Angeles Aztecs
Season Conf Position League Record League US Open Cup CONCACAF
Champions
League 		Top Scorer
P W L D F A Pts Name Goals
1974 Western Champ 20 11 2 7 41 36 110 Champions Semifinals Did not qualify Doug McMillan 10
1975 4th 3rd 20 11 2 7 40 41 36 Conference Quarterfinals Champion Did Not Enter Uri Banhoffer 14
1976 1st 1st 44 25 6 14 89 41 15 Champions Semifinal Did not qualify George Best 15
1977 6th 2nd 26 14 12 0 37 44 37 Conference Semifinal Champion Did Not Enter George Best 14
1978 6th 3rd 30 21 9 0 63 69 36 Conference Final Champion Did not qualify Jim Rolland 17
1979 4th 2nd 30 18 12 0 54 62 47 Conference Semifinal Semifinal Did Not Qualify Johan Cruyff 13
1980 3rd 2nd 32 20 12 0 60 61 52 Conference Final Final Did Not Qualify Luis Fernando 28
1981 4th 2nd 32 20 12 0 60 61 52 Conference Quarterfinal Champion Did Not Enter Chris Dangerfield 35

Other L.A. teams (1982-1995)

Season Conf Position League Record League US Open Cup CONCACAF Champions League Club World Cup Top Scorer
P W L D F A Pts
1982 4th 4th 32 17 12 3 54 58 53 Conference Quarterfinal Final Did Not Qualify Did Not Qualify Chris Dangerfield 21
1983 6th 4th 32 15 12 5 50 58 53 Conference Quarterfinal Second Round Did Not Qualify Did Not Qualify Chris Dangerfield 20
1984 8th 4th 48 24 24 0 72 69 67 Conference Quarterfinal Third Round Did Not Qualify Did Not Qualify Poli Garcia 29
1985 8th 4th 48 24 22 2 74 68 69 Conference Quarterfinal Quarterfinal Did Not Qualify Did Not Qualify Poli Garcia 27
1986 3rd 1st 34 24 5 5 79 68 47 Conference Semifinal Semifinal Did Not Qualify Did Not Qualify Michael Brady 11
1987 1st 1st 32 22 5 5 71 66 45 Conference Semifinal Semifinal Did Not Qualify Did Not Qualify Michael Brady 15
1988 1st 1st 32 20 5 7 67 56 42 Conference Final Semifinal Did Not Qualify Did Not Qualify Michael Brady 19
1989 1st 1st 32 21 4 7 70 66 42 Conference Final Quarterfinal Did Not Enter Did Not Qualify Michael Brady 16
1990 3rd 2nd 20 11 9 0 60 39 39 Conference Final Semifinal Did Not Enter Did Not Qualify Jerry O'Hara 10
1991 3rd 2nd 20 11 6 3 66 41 39 Conference Final Third Round Did Not Enter Did Not Qualify Jerry O'Hara 17
1992 4th 2nd 20 10 6 4 64 41 39 Conference Semifinal Second Round Did Not Enter Did Not Qualify Jimmy Hutchinson 15
1993 6th 4th 32 12 12 8 44 41 37 Final Semifinal Did Not Qualify Did Not Qualify Paulinho 15
1994 7th 4th 32 12 8 12 48 36 22 Conference Final Semifinal Did Not Enter Did Not Qualify Paul Wright 12
1995 1st 1st 10 8 1 1 24 17 7 No Playoffs Did Not Enter Did Not Enter Did Not Qualify Paul Wright 6

L.A. Galaxy (MLS)

Season Conf Pos League Record League US Open Cup CONCACAF
Champions League		 Top Scorer
Plyd Won Lost Drew F A Pts Name Goals
1996 1st 1st 32 19 13 0 59 49 49 Final Did Not Enter Did Not Qualify Eduardo Hurtado 21
1997 2nd 2nd 32 16 16 0 55 44 44 Conference Semifinal Did Not Enter Final Welton 11
1998 1st 1st 32 24 8 0 85 44 68 Conf Semifinal Did Not Enter Did Not Enter Cobi Jones 19
1999 1st 1st 32 20 12 0 49 29 54 Final Quarterfinals Did not qualify Cobi Jones
Carlos Hermosillo		 8
2000 2nd 2nd 32 14 10 8 47 37 50 Semifinals Semifinals Champions Cobi Jones 7
2001 1st 1st 26 14 7 5 52 36 47 Final Champions Not Held Luis Hernández 8
2002 West 1st 28 16 9 3 44 33 51 Champions Final Did not qualify Carlos Ruiz 24
2003 West 5th 30 9 12 9 35 35 36 Conference semifinal Semifinals Quarterfinals Carlos Ruiz 15
2004 West 2nd 30 11 9 10 42 40 43 Conference Semifinal Fourth Round Did not qualify Carlos Ruiz 11
2005 West 4th 32 13 13 6 44 45 45 Champions Champions Did not qualify Landon Donovan 12
2006 West 4th 32 11 15 6 37 37 39 Did Not Qualify Final Quarterfinals Landon Donovan 12
2007 West 5th 30 9 14 7 38 48 34 Did Not Qualify Third round Did not qualify Landon Donovan 8

References

  1. ↑ http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2010-01-28-sol-fold_N.htm
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