2003 Canadian Professional Soccer League season

The 2003 Canadian Professional Soccer League season was the sixth season for the Canadian Professional Soccer League. The season began on May 24, 2003 and concluded on October 5, 2003 with the Brampton Hitmen defeating Vaughan Sun Devils 1-0 to capture the CPSL Championship (known as the Rogers CPSL Cup for sponsorship reasons).[1] The victory marked Brampton's first championship title, and the final was played at Cove Road Stadium in London, Ontario.[2] During the regular season the Ottawa Wizards and the Hamilton Thunder won their respective conferences. Ottawa became the second CPSL franchise to go undefeated throughout the regular season.

Canadian Professional Soccer League
Season2003
ChampionsBrampton Hitmen
Regular Season title
Matches played117
Goals scored405 (3.46 per match)
Top goalscorerCarlo Arghittu (St. Catharines Wolves)
Best goalkeeperSimon Eaddy
Biggest home winToronto Supra 9-1 Durham Flames (September 24, 2003)
Biggest away win
  • Durham Flames 2-5 Metro Lions (September 14, 2003)
  • Durham Flames 4-5 Vaughan Sun Devils (August 10, 2003)
  • Durham Flames 2-5 Ottawa Wizards (July 19, 2003)
← 2002
2004 →

Unfortunately the season was plagued with controversy as the Wizards withdrew from the playoff competition, due to a dispute with the CPSL Executive Committee.[3][4] Another controversy stemmed from a quarterfinal match between Brampton and Toronto Croatia, where Toronto won the match on penalties, but was reversed by the league due to Toronto using an ineligible coach and general manager.[5] On a positive note the league's television program the CPSL Soccer Show recorded the highest ratings of any other Sunday program shown on Rogers TV.[6][7]

Changes from 2002 season

The 2003 season saw the league decrease by one team due to the fact that the York Region Shooters merged with the Vaughan Sun Devils to unite the York Region territory.[8][9] The Montreal Dynamites moved to the Montreal suburb of Laval and changed their team name accordingly.

Teams
TeamCityStadiumManager
Brampton HitmenBrampton, Ontario (Bramalea)Victoria Park StadiumSteve Nijjar[10]
Durham FlamesOshawa, Ontario (Vanier)Oshawa Civic StadiumSteve Hamill[11]
London CityLondon, Ontario (Westmount)Cove Road StadiumHarry Gauss[12]
Hamilton ThunderHamilton, OntarioBrian Timmis StadiumManuel Gomes[13]
Metro LionsToronto, Ontario (Scarborough)Birchmount StadiumAldwyn McGill[14]
Mississauga OlympiansMississauga, Ontario (Erin Mills)Erin Mills Twin ArenasDarren Tilley[15]
Tony Laferrara
Laval DynamitesLaval, QuebecCentre Sportif Bois-de-BoulogneJawad El Andaloussi[16]
North York AstrosToronto, Ontario (North York)Esther Shiner StadiumPavel Zaslavski[17]
Ottawa WizardsOttawa, Ontario (Carp)OZ Optics StadiumKlaus Linnenbruegger[18]
St. Catharines WolvesSt. Catharines, Ontario (Vansickle)Club Roma StadiumLucio Ianiero[19]
Toronto CroatiaMississauga, Ontario (Streetsville)Memorial ParkVelimir Crljen
Toronto SupraToronto, Ontario (Brockton)Centennial Park StadiumJosé Testas[20]
Vaughan Sun DevilsVaughan, Ontario (Thornhill)Dufferin District FieldDave Benning[21]

Coaching changes
Team Outgoing coach Manner of
departure		 Date of
vacancy		 Position in table Incoming coach Date of
appointment
Hamilton Thunder Duncan Wilde[22] resigned July 22, 2003 1st, Western Conference Ivan Marković[22] July 22, 2003
Hamilton Thunder Ivan Marković[13] resigned August 7, 2003 2nd, Western Conference Manuel Gomes[13] August 7, 2003
Ottawa Wizards Hubert Busby Jr.[23] resigned September 10, 2003 1st, Eastern Conference Klaus Linnenbruegger[18] September 11, 2003

Final standings

Eastern Conference
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Ottawa Wizards 18 13 5 0 53 10 +43 44 Qualification for Playoffs
2 Toronto Supra 18 10 6 2 50 29 +21 36
3 Vaughan Sun Devils 18 7 7 4 41 30 +11 28
4 Laval Dynamites 18 8 3 7 33 41 −8 27
5 Metro Lions 18 5 3 10 26 29 −3 18
6 Durham Flames 18 1 1 16 28 73 −45 4
Updated to match(es) played on October 2, 2003. Source: http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/reports03/03cpwkfn.htm
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Western Conference
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Hamilton Thunder 18 11 4 3 38 19 +19 37 Qualification for Playoffs
2 Brampton Hitmen 18 10 3 5 38 25 +13 33
3 Toronto Croatia 18 9 1 8 27 30 −3 28
4 St. Catharines Roma Wolves 18 8 2 8 26 34 −8 26
5 North York Astros 18 4 5 9 20 33 −13 17
6 Mississauga Olympians 18 4 4 10 19 30 −11 16
7 London City 18 3 4 11 26 42 −16 13
Updated to match(es) played on October 2, 2003. Source: http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/reports03/03cpwkfn.htm
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Rogers CPSL Championship playoffs

Quarterfinals
September 30, 2003 Brampton Hitmen 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(3–4 p)		 Toronto Croatia Brampton, Ontario
8:30 ET Ruben Flores 36' (Report) Orlin Chalmers 3' Stadium: Victoria Park Stadium
Attendance: 150
Referee: Manuel Orellano (Ontario
Penalties
October 1, 2003 Toronto Supra 3–4 (a.e.t.) Vaughan Sun Devils Toronto, Ontario
6:45 ET
(Report)
Stadium: Centennial Park Stadium
Attendance: 85
Referee: Frank Marciello (Ontario

Semifinals
October 3, 2003 London City 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(5–3 p)		 Brampton Hitmen London, Ontario
8:30 ET Atilla Salamon 83' (Report) Hugo Herrera 37' Stadium: Cove Road Stadium
Penalties
October 4, 2003 Hamilton Thunder 0–2 Vaughan Sun Devils London, Ontario
5:30 ET (Report)
Stadium: Cove Road Stadium
Attendance: 175
Referee: Angelo Gertzakis (Ontario

Rogers CPSL Championship
Vaughan Sun Devils0–1Brampton Hitmen
Report Kurt Mella 27'
Attendance: 175
Referee: Michael Lambert (Ontario)

Assistant referees:
Amato De Luca
Joe Fletcher
Fourth official:
Silviu Petrescu

2003 scoring leaders
Full article: CSL Golden Boot[32]
Position Player's name Nationality Club Goals
1 Carlo Arghittu Canada St. Catharines Wolves 18
2 Danny Amaral Canada Toronto Supra 17
Michael Diluca Canada Toronto Supra
3 Jahmo Welch Canada Durham Flames 13
4 Phil Ionadi Canada Brampton Hitmen 12
5 Charles Gbeke Canada Ottawa Wizards 10
Hugo Herrera Argentina Brampton Hitmen
Joey Todaro Canada Vaughan Sun Devils
6 Darryl Gomez Saint Kitts and Nevis Metro Lions 9
Alen Marcina Canada Ottawa Wizards
Kevin Nelson Trinidad and Tobago Ottawa Wizards

CPSL Executive Committee

A list of the 2003 CPSL Executive Committee.[33]

Position Name Nationality
President & Chairman:Vincent UrsiniCanada Canadian
League Administrator/Director of Media:Stan Adamson[34]England English
Director at Large:Walter KirchnerRomania Romanian
Director of Discipline:Clifford Dell[35]Canada Canadian
Director of Officials:Tony CamachoPortugal Portuguese
Administrative Co-ordinator:Josie StortoCanada Canadian
Community Services:Peter Li PretiCanada Canadian
Legal Counsel:Ira GreenspoonCanada Canadian
Marketing:Cary KaplanCanada Canadian

Individual awards
Carlo Arghittu won the CSL Golden Boot

The annual CPSL awards ceremony was held at German-Canadian Club on October 5, 2003 in London, Ontario.[36] The Ottawa Wizards finished on top with the most wins with two awards.[37] The undefeated Eastern Conference champions produced the Rookie of the Year with McDonald Yobe, a former Malawian international. After conceding the lowest number of goals the league voted New Zealand journeyman Simon Eaddy with the Goalkeeper of the Year award. Phil Ionadi a former CNSL and USL A-League veteran captained the Brampton Hitmen to a CPSL Championship, and in returned was named the MVP.

Carlo Arghittu of St. Catharines Wolves another former CNSL and USL A-League veteran was given the Golden Boot for finishing as the league's top goalscorer. Domagoj Sain was given his second consecutive Defender of the Year award. After a disastrous 2002 season Toronto Supra brought in Jose Testas a former Primeira Liga, and Segunda Divisão player to manage the club. Testas immediately changed the club into a championship contender by finishing second in their division, and for his achievement was granted the Coach of the Year award. The Durham Flames received their second Fair Play award for being the most disciplined team. While Michael Lambert who officiated the championship final was given his second Referee of the Year award.

Award Player (Club)
CPSL Most Valuable Player Phil Ionadi (Brampton Hitmen)
CPSL Golden Boot Carlo Arghittu (St. Catharines Wolves)
CPSL Goalkeeper of the Year Award Simon Eaddy (Ottawa Wizards)
CPSL Defender of the Year Award Domagoj Sain (Toronto Croatia)
CPSL Rookie of the Year Award McDonald Yobe (Ottawa Wizards)
CPSL Coach of the Year Award José Testas (Toronto Supra)
CPSL Referee of the Year Award Michael Lambert
CPSL Fair Play Award Durham Flames

References
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