The 1997 Canadian National Soccer League season was the seventy fifth season for the Canadian National Soccer League. The season began on June 4, 1997, and concluded on October 8, 1997, with St. Catharines Roma Wolves defeating Toronto Supra in a two-game series for the CNSL Championship. While the league cup was awarded to Toronto Supra due to several irregularities on behave of Kosova Albanians. The season was noteworthy with the return of Toronto Croatia, and Hamilton White Eagles after the Canadian International Soccer League decided to merge with the CNSL. A notable departure was Toronto Italia a well distinguished club who had another opportunity in 1998 to return to the professional scene, but failed to settle disputes regarding territory and league policy. The league operated as a private league for the final time, and under the banner of the CNSL as it reconciled its relationship with the Ontario Soccer Association in 1998. The following season it would operate as the Canadian Professional Soccer League sanctioned by the Ontario Soccer Association in order to implement the Image of the Game report to provide a suitable professional soccer structure in Ontario and potentially throughout the country.
Overview
Summary
The amount of clubs participating in the 1997 season remained seven as the previous season with several notable additions, and departures. As the Canadian International Soccer League merged with the Canadian National Soccer League it marked the return of Toronto Croatia, Hamilton White Eagles, and with Kosova Albanians as a new entry. A notable absence was the departure of well-established Toronto Italia, which was a result of a feud with Toronto Croatia stemming from the an alleged debt owed to the latter from the 1995 season. Meanwhile, after a single season in the CNSL Oakville Canadian Western ceased operations. While Scarborough Astros merged with North York Talons and played their home matches in North York, and Scarborough. As the USISL A-League expanded to include the Toronto Lynx the CNSL began to automatically serve as an unofficial feeder system with Peter Pinizzotto, and several CNSL players being recruited to the inaugural roster. The league received this official recognition in the 2002 season under its successor league. Throughout the on-field activities St. Catharines Roma Wolves secured the final CNSL Championship, the club's third title after defeating Toronto Supra. Controversies abounded throughout the season as a league meeting was convened in the final quarters of the season, which resulted in the suspension of Hamilton, and North York for the remainder of the season. While the final five matches of the regular season were canceled, which allowed all remaining clubs a berth in the postseason.
Teams
Final standings
Playoffs
First round
Kosova wins two 15 minute half mini game 1-0 to win tiebreaker in this series.
Second round
Finals
St. Catharines won 4–3 on aggregate.
Cup
The cup tournament was a separate contest from the rest of the season, in which all seven teams took part. All the matches were separate from the regular season. Teams played each other once home and away in the Cup competition, and the first place team would win the Cup competition. Originally Kosova won the tournament after finishing first in the standings as a result of a greater goal differential. Shortly after league executives ordered a single finals match to determine the champion. The decision was influenced after Kosova's president was required to provide a performance cheque for a player who was involved in an altercation with a referee in an earlier match. League executive Michael Di Biase reported that the club officials failed in properly addressing the request. Though Toronto Croatia finished with similar results they were disqualified after using an ineligible player. As Hamilton, and North York were suspended from league play the suspension also included their participation in the cup tournament. In the postseason semifinal match against St. Catharines Roma Wolves the game was delayed when Kosova's president declared his club as cup champions after presenting a trophy to Kosova. Consequently, the league officials canceled the final match, and automatically declared Toronto Supra as league cup champions. In response to the decision Kosova protested the league's actions, and subsequently withdrew from the CNSL.
