were a Japanese football (soccer) club based in Toyama

Toyama, Toyama

is the capital city of Toyama Prefecture, Japan, located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in the Chūbu region on central Honshū, about 200 km north of the city of Nagoya and 300 km northwest of Tokyo....

, the capital city of Toyama Prefecture

Toyama Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located in the Hokuriku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Toyama.Toyama is the leading industrial prefecture on the Japan Sea coast, and has the industrial advantage of cheap electricity due to abundant water resources....

. They played in the Japan Football League

Japan Football League

The is the 3rd tier of the Japanese association football league system, following J. League Division 1 and J. League Division 2. Also known as the JFL, it is generally considered as the top amateur league in Japan although in reality it is a semi-professional league as many full-time footballers...

. Their team colour was blue.

Their nickname ALO's derives from Antelopes.　Hokuriku

Hokuriku region

The is located in the northwestern part of Honshū, the main island of Japan. It lies along the Sea of Japan within the Chūbu region. It is almost equivalent to Koshi Province and Hokurikudō area in pre-modern Japan....

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

As an amateur team

The club was founded as Hokuriku Electric Power Company

Hokuriku Electric Power Company

The Hokuriku Electric Power Company supplies power by a regulated monopoly to the Toyama Prefecture, Ishikawa Prefecture, the northern part of Fukui Prefecture, and northwestern parts of Gifu Prefecture...

'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

J. League

The or is the top division of and is the top professional association football league in Japan. It is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football and the only league given top class 'A' ranking by the AFC. Currently, J. League Division 1 is the first level of the Japanese...

, regardless of results). They have been playing in the JFL since 2000. Since they were in regional league, YKK AP F.C.

YKK AP F.C.

is a Japanese football club based in Kurobe, Toyama Prefecture. They play in Toyama Prefectural League. Their team colour is blue.-History:The club was founded as the football club of YKK in 1962...

 had been the biggest rival all the time as they have to compete for right to participate in Emperor's Cup

Emperor's Cup

, commonly known as or , is a Japanese association football competition. It has the longest tradition of any football tournament in Japan, dating back to 1921, before the formation of the J. League, Japan Football League and their predecessor, Japan Soccer League...

 as the representative of Toyama.

Merger as a professional team

On September 10, 2007, Hokuriku Electric Power Company and YKK

YKK Group

The is a Japanese group of manufacturing companies. As the world's largest zipper manufacturer, YKK Group is most famous for making zippers; however, it also manufactures other fastening products, architectural products, as well as industrial machinery....

 agreed with merging their teams to aim promotion to the J. League, national supreme football league in Japan, in response of eager request by Toyama football association(TFA). According to Tulip TV, local broadcasting company, 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 mergered club would compete in the JFL from the 2008 season. The new mergered club is named as Kataller Toyama

Kataller Toyama

Kataller Toyama is a football club in Japan that was formed from the merger of the old ALO's Hokuriku and YKK AP F.C. clubs. They currently play in J...

 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

Ishikawa Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is Kanazawa.- History :Ishikawa was formed from the merger of Kaga Province and the smaller Noto Province.- Geography :Ishikawa is on the Sea of Japan coast...

 and Fukui Prefecture

Fukui Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Fukui.- Prehistory :The Kitadani Dinosaur Quarry, on the Sugiyama River within the city limits of Katsuyama, has yielded the Fukuiraptor kitadaniensis and Fukuisaurus tetoriensis as well as an unnamed...

.

Results in JFL

2000: 8th

2001: 15th

2002: 14th

2003: 14th

2004: 10th

2005: 3rd

2006: 8th

2007: 4th

External links

Official Website