The 2023–24 Professional U18 Development League was the 12th season of the Professional Development League system. There were 26 teams competing, divided into North and South divisions according to their region.
Reading regained Category One status in the summer.
North
Results
South
Results
National Final
Season statistics
Top goalscorers Rank Player Club Goals1 Chido Obi-MartinArsenal322 Donnell McNeillyChelsea21 Matthew WarhurstManchester City3 Joshua AjalaWest Ham United17 Tom OlyottFulham4 Zach MarshCrystal Palace16 Rory WilsonAston Villa5 Connor BrownNottingham Forest156 Mikey MooreTottenham Hotspur147 Dan RiggeWest Ham United13 Jemiah UmoluWest Ham United8 Gabriele BiancheriManchester United12 Luke EnrightStoke City9 Damola AjayiTottenham Hotspur11 Coby EbereEverton Alfie HarrisonManchester City and Newcastle United Kieran MorrisonLiverpool Sean Neave Newcastle United
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date Lleyton Brown Leeds United Stoke City 1–6 (A) Zach Marsh Crystal PalaceSouthampton 5–0 (H) Rory Wilson Aston VillaTottenham Hotspur 4–0 (H) Tom Olyott FulhamLeicester City 4–3 (H) Ato Ampah ChelseaAston Villa 1–5 (A) Will Merry SouthamptonNorwich City 4–2 (H) Matthew Warhurst Manchester CityMiddlesbrough 0–6 (A) Chido Obi-Martin ArsenalSouthampton 4–0 (H) Rory Wilson Aston VillaWest Bromwich Albion 7–1 (H) Zach Marsh Crystal PalaceFulham 3–4 (A) Josh Robertson SunderlandLeeds United 4–3 (H) Trent Kone-Doherty LiverpoolSunderland 7–1 (H) Mikey Moore Tottenham HotspurNorwich City 7–2 (H) Tom Olyott FulhamAston Villa 7–2 (H) Zach Marsh Crystal Palace Tottenham Hotspur 2–5 (A) Rory Wilson Aston VillaNorwich City 0–7 (A) Marley Wilson Leeds UnitedEverton 0–3 (A) Kieran Morrison LiverpoolMiddlesbrough 3–1 (H) Victor Musa Manchester UnitedBlackburn Rovers 0–3 (A) Jemiah Umolu West Ham UnitedLeicester City 5–0 (H) Marley Wilson Leeds UnitedDerby County 1–6 (A) Shumaira Mheuka ChelseaWest Bromwich Albion 9–1 (H) Zach Marsh Crystal PalaceWest Ham United 4–5 (A) Matthew Warhurst Manchester CityStoke City 3–1 (H) Coby Ebere EvertonStoke City 1–4 (A) Mikey Moore Tottenham HotspurSouthampton 3–6 (A) Josh King Leicester CityTottenham Hotspur 3–4 (A) Eseosa Sule West Bromwich AlbionWest Ham United 2–5 (A) Dan Rigge West Ham UnitedAston Villa 2–4 (A) Coby Ebere EvertonLeeds United 1–4 (A) Bendito Mantato4 Manchester UnitedBlackburn Rovers 5–2 (H) Chido Obi-Martin4 Arsenal Crystal Palace 8–3 (H) Chido Obi-Martin4 ArsenalFulham 5–2 (H) Ethan Wheatley Manchester UnitedLiverpool 1–9 (A) Chido Obi-Martin5 ArsenalWest Ham United 1–8 (A) Niall McAndrew Derby CountySunderland 6–1 (H) Brook Myers SouthamptonReading 0–9 (A) Samuel Amo-Ameyaw SouthamptonReading 0–9 (A) Chido Obi-Martin7 ArsenalNorwich City 0–9 (A) Matthew Warhurst Manchester CityLeeds United 1–4 (A) Damola Ajayi Tottenham HotspurWest Bromwich Albion 5–3 (H) Tom Olyott FulhamLeicester City 1–5 (A) Charlie Lennon MiddlesbroughSunderland 2–4 (A) Joshua Ajala West Ham United Crystal Palace 1–4 (A) Chido Obi-Martin Arsenal Chelsea 5–2 (H) Sahil Bashir Brighton & Hove AlbionNorwich City 2–6 (A) Justin Oguntolu Derby CountyLiverpool 5–1 (H) Matthew Warhurst Manchester CityBlackburn Rovers 2–3 (A) Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away 4 – player scored 4 goals 5 – player scored 5 goals 7 – player scored 7 goals
Professional Development League 2
The 2023–24 season was the 12th edition of the Professional Development League 2, an under-18 football's second tier, designed for those academies with Category 2 status. The league was split regionally into North and South divisions, with each team facing opponents in their own region twice both home and away, and opponents in the other region once, resulting in 30 games played for the North Division, while the South Division played 29 games. The sides finishing in the top two positions in both regions at the end of the season progressed to a knockout stage to determine the overall league champion. Barnsley were the defending national champions while AFC Bournemouth and Fleetwood Town joined the division for the 2023–24 season.
Tables North Division
South Division
Knock-out stage Semi-finals
Professional Development League Two Play-Off Final
Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Micah MbickCharlton Athletic272 Kavalli HeywoodMillwall223 Frank TattumBirmingham City19 Tom WoodwardSwansea City5 Emmaisa NzondoBarnsley176 Jonny DayAFC Bournemouth167 Luke AlkerBarnsley15 Jack HowlandMillwall9 Trey GeorgeCardiff City12 Devlan MosesSheffield Wednesday Tyler WintersPeterborough United Ben WodskouBirmingham City13 Jonathan LawsonWatford1114 Patrick CaseyCharlton Athletic10 Lucas DawsonHull City Jonny StuttleAFC Bournemouth
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Jonny Day AFC Bournemouth Wigan Athletic 5–0 (H) Emmaisa Nzondo Barnsley Colchester United 6–2 (H) Frank Tattum Birmingham City Ipswich Town 6–2 (H) Amin Nabizada Watford Peterborough United 0–6 (A) Mikey Lane Fleetwood Town Queens Park Rangers 9–0 (H) Jonathan Lawson Watford Crewe Alexandra 5–2 (H) Oli Davis Ipswich Town Queens Park Rangers 7–0 (H) Patrick Casey4 Charlton Athletic Swansea City 3–6 (A) Aidan Dausch4 Coventry CityHull City 8–1 (H) Emmaisa Nzondo Barnsley Crewe Alexandra 4–1 (H) Trey George Cardiff City Swansea City 3–2 (H) Luke Alker4 Barnsley Peterborough United 8–0 (H) Ryan Oné Sheffield United Coventry City 0–3 (A) Tom Woodward Swansea City Ipswich Town 4–2 (H) Kavalli Heywood Millwall Colchester United 1–10 (A) Elidon O'Boyle Millwall Colchester United 1–10 (A) Devlan Moses Sheffield Wednesday Birmingham City 2–3 (A) Vernon Masara Burnley Coventry City 4–0 (H) Jack Howland Millwall Swansea City 5–1 (H) Luke Alker Barnsley Coventry City 4–2 (H) Kavalli Heywood4 Millwall Bristol City 4–1 (H) Tyler Winters Peterborough United Wigan Athletic 4–2 (H) Jack Howland4 Millwall Queens Park Rangers 12–0 (H) Micah Mbick Charlton Athletic Millwall 0–4 (A) Micah Mbick Charlton Athletic Peterborough United 7–3 (H) Ben Wodskou Birmingham City Queens Park Rangers 2–8 (A) Micah Mbick Charlton Athletic Ipswich Town 6–2 (H) Mannie Barton4 Cardiff City Millwall 4–8 (A) Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away 4 – player scored 4 goals
EFL Youth Alliance
The Football League Youth Alliance sometimes known as League 3 is run by the English Football League under the auspices of the EFL Youth Alliance. 45 teams were scheduled to competed this season, however one team was expelled before the season began. Notts County returned to the league after a 3-season absence, while Wrexham returned to the league after a four-season absence because both teams clubs were promoted back to the Football League. AFC Bournemouth and Fleetwood Town both left because their academies were promoted to Category 2 and as a result both teams joined the U18 Professional Development League 2. Because their parent club was relegated from the National League in their first season, Scunthorpe United were expelled from the league because there was no way their parent club could not promote back to the football league in time. Meanwhile Southend United did not participate because their parent club lost their EPPP license. For clubs that get relegated to the National League, they have two years to gain promotion back to the EFL. Otherwise, they lose their license with the League.
League stage
North-East Division
North-West Division
South-East Division
South-West Division
Merit League Stage The teams in the Southeast and Southwest Divisions played another ten games to determine the champions of Merit League One and Merit League Two.
Merit League One
Merit League Two
Northeast Division 2nd Phase Only 4 or 5 games were played but they were added in the regular season averages.
North-East Merit Championship Group These games include the regular season matches.
North-East Merit Lower Table Round
See also 2023–24 in English football
References