Premier Academy League

Premier Academy League
Founded1997
Folded2012
CountryEngland
Divisions4
Number of clubs40
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toFootball League Youth Alliance
Domestic cup(s)FA Youth Cup
Last championsFulham (2nd title)
(2011–12)
Most championshipsArsenal (5 titles)
Current: 2012–13 season

The Premier Academy League (sometimes abbreviated as FAPAL) was the top level of youth football in England before it was to be replaced by a new league proposed by the Elite Player Performance Plan in 2012, which was accepted by the 72 member clubs of The Football League on 20 October 2011. This newly formed league was established in the 2015–2016 season and given the renamed title of the Professional Development League[1] It was contested between the Academy sides of the Premier League and some Football League clubs. It sat above the second tier of youth football, The Football League Youth Alliance, which is for the remaining Football League clubs and some Football Conference clubs with a Centre of Excellence. The most successful team is Arsenal, having won 5 titles.

History

The league was founded as the FA Premier Youth League in 1997, replacing regionally based youth leagues such as the South East Counties League as the top level of youth football. Clubs fielded Under-18 teams, with up to three Under-19 players allowed per match. 16 teams were split into Northern and Southern conferences of 8 teams each; teams played others within their own conference twice and teams from the other conference once. At the end of the season all the teams were paired into rounds of play-offs played over two legs in a knockout system. The inaugural winners were Arsenal, who beat Tottenham Hotspur 2–1 on aggregate in the final.

The competition was revamped in 1998 with the introduction of the Football Association's Academy system and renamed the Premier Academy League. The competition was divided into Under-19 and Under-17 sections, and more teams were admitted - 32 in total, split into four conferences (two Southern, two Northern) of eight teams each. Teams played those within their own conference twice and the team from the other conference in their region once, again with play-offs between all teams at the end.

The U19 competition was expanded to 40 teams in five groups of 8 in 1999–2000, before being reorganised into four groups of ten in 2000–01. The play-off format was revamped in 2003–04, with only the four group winners proceeding to the play-offs.

The league was reorganised yet again in 2004–05 season, with the league being reformed as a single Under-18 competition (players are aged under 18 on the preceding 31 August), with up to 3 Under-19 outfield players and 1 Under-19 goalkeeper allowed per team per match. Teams also competed at an Under-16 level in identically formed groups, but these were played as friendlies – no league table was maintained and no play-offs were contested. This format remained until the league's abandonment in 2012.

Structure

All teams played each other in the group twice and played 10 inter-group fixtures, producing 28 games a season. The four group winners entered the playoffs, which was a straight knockout format. Unlike the Premier Reserve League, the Premier Academy League was open to more than just the Premier League clubs.

Winners

  FA Premier Youth League (Under-18) References
1997–98 Arsenal U18s [2]
  FA Premier Academy League  
Under-19 Under-17
1998–99 West Ham United U19s Blackburn Rovers U17s [3][4]
1999–2000 West Ham United U19s Arsenal U17s [2][3]
2000–01 Nottingham Forest U19s Ipswich Town U17s [5][6]
2001–02 Arsenal U19s Newcastle United U17s [2][7]
2002–03 Blackburn Rovers U19s Leeds United U17s [8][9]
2003–04 Southampton U19s Aston Villa U17s [10][11]
  Premier Academy League (Under-18)  
2004–05 Blackburn Rovers U18s [12]
2005–06 Southampton U18s [13]
2006–07 Leicester City U18s [14]
2007–08 Aston Villa U18s [15]
2008–09 Arsenal U18s [16]
2009–10 Arsenal U18s [17]
2010–11 Everton U18s [18]
2011–12 Fulham U18s [19]

Most successful clubs

Team U18
titles 		U19 (d)
titles 		U17 (d)
titles
Arsenal 3 1 1
Blackburn Rovers 1 1 1
Aston Villa 1 1
Southampton 1 1
Everton 1
Fulham 1
West Ham United 2
Nottingham Forest 1
Leicester City 1
Ipswich Town 1
Newcastle United 1
Leeds United 1
Middlesbrough F.C 1

(d) - defunct

See also

References

  1. ^ "Football League votes through plan to change youth set-up". BBC News.
  2. ^ a b c "Arsenal Club Honours". Arsenal.com. Archived from the original on 22 October 2006. Retrieved 7 November 2006.
  3. ^ a b "West Ham United Statistics". westhamstats.info. Retrieved 7 November 2006.
  4. ^ "FA Premier Academy League play-off final". This Is Lancashire. 19 May 1999. Archived from the original on 8 November 2006. Retrieved 7 November 2006.
  5. ^ "Players H - Paul Hart". Bridport Red. Archived from the original on 13 October 2006. Retrieved 7 November 2006.
  6. ^ "Academy Roll of Honour". TownFans.co.uk. Retrieved 7 November 2006.
  7. ^ "Newcastle United PLC Preliminary Results Summary". Newcastle United Official Website. 8 October 2002. Archived from the original on 6 November 2006. Retrieved 7 November 2006.
  8. ^ "Academy boys top of class". This Is Lancashire. 14 May 2003. Archived from the original on 27 December 2008. Retrieved 7 November 2006.
  9. ^ "Leeds United News - May 2003". leedfans.org.uk. Retrieved 7 November 2006.
  10. ^ "Academy Who's Who". SaintsFC.co.uk. Archived from the original on 11 September 2008. Retrieved 7 November 2006.
  11. ^ "Everton U17s, 2003–04: Everton 1 - 1 Aston Villa". ToffeeWeb. Archived from the original on 9 September 2006. Retrieved 7 November 2006.
  12. ^ "Under 18 Academy Team 2004/05". FONCY. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 7 November 2006.
  13. ^ "Under-18 Academy Team 2005/06". FONCY. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 7 November 2006.
  14. ^ "Under-18 Academy Team 2006/07". FONCY. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 7 November 2006.
  15. ^ "Under-18 Academy Team 2007/08". avfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 May 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2008.
  16. ^ "Academy Final- Tottenham 0-1 Arsenal - Report". Arsenal Broadband Limited. Retrieved 17 May 2009.
  17. ^ "Academy Final- Arsenal 5-3 Nottm Forest - Report". Arsenal Broadband Limited. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
  18. ^ "Academy Final- Fulham 1-2 Everton - Report". Everton Media. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2011.
  19. ^ "Academy Final- Fulham 2-0 Reading - Report". fulhamfc.com. Archived from the original on 15 May 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2012.