Western Soccer League (1989)
American Professional Soccer League (1990)
Tombstone
Born: July 19, 1988 – WSL expansion franchise
Folded: November 19901NO BYLINE. “Sports News Briefs: Condors Fold”. The Republic (Phoenix, AZ). November 8, 1990
First Game: April 22, 1989 (L 3-1 vs. Seattle Storm)
Last Game: August 10, 1990 (L 2-0 vs. L.A. Heat)
WSL Championships: None
APSL Championships: None
Stadium
John Riggs Stadium (4,500)
Marketing
Team Colors: Green & Gold
Ownership
Owner: Tony Koleski
Background
The Arizona Condors were a short-lived soccer venture that played for two seasons at Riggs Stadium on the campus of Mesa Community College.
The Condors operated as an amateur team in their expansion season of 1989 in the Western Soccer League and did not play its players. The 1989 squad featured some moonlighting professionals, such as Major Indoor Soccer League veterans and leading scorers Mark Kerlin (9 goals, 4 assists) and Wes Wade (10 goals, 1 assist). But the team also had players who still had college eligibility remaining.
Late in the 1989 season the Western Soccer League announced a merger with the East Coast-based American Soccer League to form the American Professional Soccer League in 1990. The APSL would be a fully professional circuit with each team playing under a salary cap. The Condors were a pro side for their second and final season in 1990.
On The Field
Englishman Adrian Webster was the Condors head coach for both seasons of play. Webster captained the Seattle Sounders in 1977 when the team faced Pele and the New York Cosmos in the NASL’s Soccer Bowl final. He also played one season for Arizona’s former indoor soccer club, the Phoenix Inferno, in the early 1980’s.
The Condors struggled on the field. The club finished 5-11 in 1989 in the WSL and with 5 wins, 14 losses and 1 shootout loss in 1990 in the APSL.
The APSL terminated the Condors membership in November 1990 after team owner Tony Koleski, an Arizona property developer, declined to post a performance bond for the 1991 season.
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