If only a suitable Seattle venue had existed in 1996. That void proved the major obstacle preventing the Sounders from becoming a charter member of Major League Soccer.

Before MLS opened its doors, Seattle reigned as America’s best by virtue of winning the 1995 A-League title (and repeating the following year), and did so with virtually a homegrown side. Imagine if Hinton had taken them en masse to the next level.

Eight players from the ’95 squad are listed on either the first of second XI below, and were MLS caliber. In fact, of the first team, eight went on to play MLS while two others had already made the NASL grade. Of course, Hahnemann–the only unanimous choice–went on to play the majority of his career in England.

The A-League in 1994 and ’95 was the U.S. de facto Division I, with a high concentration of domestic talent. The voting reflects that; six players from ’94-95 made the first team, effectively bumping latter day MVPs Baena and Le Toux to the second XI. Le Toux is one of nine on the first and second teams to have played on either the ’05 or ’07 USL-1 champions.

Of that first team, only Ching was raised outside Cascadia. Crook and Fry also made the FC Seattle first team; Hattrup and Webber had been second team.

Here’s The Seattle Times presentation of the all-time A-League/USL Sounders Selection.

Note: Voted by coaches Alan Hinton (1994-95), Neil Megson (1996-00), Bernie James (2001) and Brian Schmetzer (2002-08)

USL Sounders All-Time XII

G – Marcus Hahnemann* (1994-96; 65app/28so)            Best XI ’94-95

D – Wade Webber (1994-96; 67app/4g/5a)            Best XI ‘96

D – Bill Crook (1994-96; 52app/0g/3a)            2^nd XI ‘94

D – Scott Jenkins (1997-05; 220app/12g/10a)

D – Craig Waibel (1999-02; 60app/4g/0a)

M – Brandon Prideaux (1998; 27app/2g/6a);

M – Jason Farrell (1994-96, 01-04; 153app/18g/30a)            2^nd XI ‘94

M – Andrew Gregor (2000, 02-03, 05-06; 113app/31g/23a)            Best XI ’02-03, 06

M – Leighton O’Brien (01-02, 05-08; 115app/36g/28a)            MVP, Best XI ‘02

M – Peter Hattrup (94-95, 97-99, 01; 90app; 22g/16a)            MVP, Best XI 95

F – Brian Ching (2001-02; 31app/19g/9a)            Best XI ’01-02

F – Chance Fry (1994-97; 51app/26g/11a)            Best XI ‘94

 

Second XI

G – Preston Burpo (1997-05; 143app; 38so)

D – Taylor Graham (2005, 07-08; 66app/5g/0a)            Best XI ’05, 08

D – Neil Megson (1994-98; 94app/6g/4a)            Best XI ‘94

D – Zach Scott (2002-08; 139app/8g/3a)

D – Mark Watson (1997; 20app/1g/2a)            Best XI ‘97

M – Dick McCormick (1994-96, 98, 00-02; 98app/11g/14a)

M – Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar (2007-08; 41app/3g/3a)

M – Geoff Aunger (1997; 24app/8g/3a)

M – Roger Levesque (2003-08; 130app/27g/17a)

F – Mark Baena (1998-99; 44app/40g/11a)            MVP, Best XI ’98-99

F – Sebastien Le Toux (2007-08; 53app/24g/6a)            MVP, Best XI ’07

 

Honorable Mention

D – Bernie James (1996-00; 82app/0g/0a)

D – Marco Rizi (1995; 18app/0g/0a)

D – Danny Jackson (2003-08; 113app2g/2a)            Best XI ‘03

D – James Dunn (1995-96; 70app/2g/4a)            2^nd XI ‘94

D – Doug Morrill (1994-97; 41app/0g/2a)

D – Ryan Edwards (1998, 01-05; 127app/10g/1a)

M – Sean Medved (1994-95; 43app/7g/12a)            Best XI ‘94

M – Sean Henderson (1999-01, 03-04; 78app/5g/5a)

M – Kei Kinoshita (1997-98, 00-01, 04; 70app/3g/1a)

M – Brian Haynes (1995; 6app/1g/3a),

M – Ian Russell (1998-99; 32app/14g/8a)

M – David Hoggan (1994-98; 96app/19g/17a)            2^nd XI ‘94

F – Darren Sawatzky (2000, 02-04; 95app/30g/21a)            Best XI ‘00

F – Jason Dunn (1994-96; 71app/18g/13a)            RoY, 2^nd XI ‘94

*Unanimous

Boldface are Sounders career records