American soccer writing, history & data.
Following the collapse of the NASL the Pacific Western Soccer Alliance was proposed as a fully professional league. The Vancouver Nationals, Edmonton and Calgary teams each posted the necessary $50,000 financial guarantees with the Canadian Soccer Association but the fourth entity, the Seattle Americans, merged in late February 1985 with the F.C. Seattle United club and were not prepared to join a Canadian league for that season. As such the proposed league did not launch.
In June, Peter Bridgewater, president of the San Jose Earthquakes, met with representatives from F.C. Seattle and F.C. Los Angeles to discuss the formation of a new professional soccer league which would include the Edmonton Brick Men, F.C. Portland and Victoria Riptides.
While the team from Los Angeles did not join, the other four teams formed the Western Alliance Challenge Series. The teams would play home-and-home series against each other plus one match each against he Canada Men's National Team.
F.C. Seattle was a second-year independent professional team headed by former NASL goalkeeper, Jack Brand. The Victoria Riptides came from the Pacific Coast Soccer League. F.C. Portland had only been formed by former Portland Timbers player, Clive Charles, months before when it entered and won the 10-team Portland Premier League that spring.
Officials called the competition an alliance rather than a league because there was no league executive. Results were three points for a win, one point for a tie with no overtimes, shootouts or playoffs.
In a relatively close race, the fully-professional San Jose Earthquakes by three points over F.C. Seattle and the Victoria Riptides. The amateur F.C. Portland struggled but managed to upset San Jose 2-1 on July 17 at Civic Stadium.
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