The SPFL Development League was the top level of youth football in Scotland, which was contested in various formats between 1998 and 2018.
History A youth league was founded as the Scottish Premier under-18 League in 1998. Clubs fielded under-18 teams, with the Scottish Premier Reserve League originally being an under-21 league. The competition was changed in 2003 when it became the Scottish Premier under-19 League. The teams played 22 matches rather than 30.
For the 2012–13 season, the competition changed again, this time to the Scottish Premier under-20 league, there were 15 teams, and teams played 28 matches per season. With the inception of the Scottish Professional Football League for the 2013–14 season, the league become the SPFL U20 League and the number of teams increased to 16. Teams were allowed to field two over-age outfield players and an overage goalkeeper.
The league was renamed the SPFL Development League in 2014, with the number of teams increased to 17. At this time two regional leagues were also introduced, with eight clubs competing in the Development League West and nine clubs competing in the Development League East. The restriction on over-age players was relaxed, with teams now permitted to use five older players in a matchday squad of 18.Development League kicks off , SPFL
The league was dissolved in 2018 and replaced by the SPFL Reserve Leagues.
European competition From 2015 onwards, the UEFA Youth League provides a qualification route for 'domestic youth champions', in addition to clubs whose senior team reaches the UEFA Champions League group stage. As the age group for the Development League is older than that of the UEFA Group League, Scotland's representative will be the winner of the Under-17 league, which plays competitive fixtures however does not reveal the results and tables publicly to minimise the scrutiny on the young players. In 2015, 2016, and 2017, the winners of the Under-17 league were Celtic; in 2018, Hamilton won the title, and Rangers were the 2019 champions.
Winners SFL Youth League SeasonScottish Football Historical Archive Mirror – SFL/SPL/SPFL Youth Leagues Winner Runner-up 1993–94 Aberdeen Celtic 1994–95 Celtic Aberdeen 1995–96 Rangers Celtic 1996–97 Dundee United Celtic 1997–98 Aberdeen Dundee United
SPL Under-18 League Season Winner Runner-up 1998–99 Aberdeen Celtic 1999–00 Celtic Dundee United 2000–01AFC Heritage – 2000–01 SPL Under-18 League Table Heart of Midlothian Livingston 2001–02 Rangers Celtic 2002–03 Celtic Rangers
SPL Under-19 League Season Winner Runner-up 2003–04 Celtic Rangers 2004–05 Celtic Motherwell 2005–06 Celtic Motherwell 2006–07 Rangers Celtic 2007–08 Rangers Celtic 2008–09 Hibernian Heart of Midlothian 2009–10 Celtic Motherwell 2010–11 Celtic Heart of Midlothian 2011–12 Celtic Heart of Midlothian
SPFL Under-20 League Season Winner Runner-up 2012–13 Celtic Aberdeen 2013–14 Celtic Rangers
SPFL Development League Season Winner Runner-up 2014–15 Aberdeen Celtic 2015–16 Celtic Hamilton Academical 2016–17 Ross County Hamilton Academical 2017–18 Hibernian Dundee
Other Competitions (SFL / SPFL era)
Although the Scottish Premier League (SPL) superseded the Scottish Football League (SFL) as the top division in 1998, the SFL continued to run an under-18 league until 2003, when the age group was split into under-17's and under-19's. The SFL also ran a cup competition (not to be confused with the SFA Youth Cup) for the various age groups. After the SFL ceased operation in 2013, with the foundation of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) in 2013, an under-19 league and cup competition was run alongside the new under-20 league. There were also West and East Development Divisions operating under the main SPFL Development League between 2014 and 2018. Club Academy Scotland (CAS), organised and managed by the Scottish Football Association (SFA), began operating youth leagues with under-17 the top age group in 2014. The under-17 age range was raised to under-18 by CAS in 2018.
Season Competition Winner 1998–99 SFL Under-18 Youth Division A Aberdeen SFL Under-18 Youth Division B Falkirk 1999–2000 SFL Under-18 Youth Division A Celtic SFL Under-18 Youth Division B Airdrieonians SFL Under-18 Youth Division C Falkirk 2000–01 No competition 2001–02 SFL Under-18 Youth Division Ayr United SFL Under-18 Youth League Cup Stirling Albion 2002–03 SFL Under-18 Youth Division Ayr United SFL Under-18 Youth League Cup Ross County 2003–04 SFL Under-19 Youth Division Ross County SFL Under-19 Youth League Cup Queen's Park SFL Under-17 Youth Division Falkirk SFL Under-17 Youth League Cup Hamilton Academical 2004–05 SFL Under-19 Youth Division St Johnstone SFL Under-19 Youth League Cup Queen's Park SFL Under-17 Youth Division Morton SFL Under-17 Youth League Cup Ross County 2005–06 SFL Under-19 Youth Division Dundee SFL Under-19 Youth League Cup St Johnstone SFL Under-17 Youth Division Stenhousemuir SFL Under-17 Youth League Cup Raith Rovers 2006–07 SFL Under-19 Youth Division Ross County SFL Under-19 Youth League Cup East Fife SFL Under-17 Youth Division Airdrie United SFL Under-17 Youth League Cup Airdrie United 2007–08 SFL Under-19 Youth Division Livingston SFL Under-19 Youth League Cup Raith Rovers SFL Under-17 Youth Division Queen's Park SFL Under-17 Youth League Cup Cowdenbeath 2008–09 SFL Under-19 Youth Division Livingston SFL Under-19 Youth League Cup Livingston SFL Under-17 Youth Division St Johnstone SFL Under-17 Youth League Cup Queen of the South
Season Competition Winner 2009–10 SFL Under-19 Youth Division Livingston SFL Under-19 Youth League Cup Partick Thistle SFL Under-17 Youth Division Queen's Park SFL Under-17 Youth League Cup Queen's Park 2010–11 SFL Under-19 Youth Division Livingston SFL Under-17 Youth Division Ayr United SFL Under-17 Youth League Cup Livingston 2011–12 SFL Under-19 Youth Division SFL Under-19 Youth League Cup StenhousemuirYoungsters win SFL u19s League Cup Final, Stenhousemuir FC, 14 May 2012 SFL Under-17 Youth Division Livingston SFL Under-17 Youth League Cup LivingstonLivingston's under-17 side complete double, Scottish Football League, 8 May 2012 2012–13 SFL Under-19 Youth Division SFL Under-19 Youth League Cup Hamilton Academical SFL Under-17 Youth Division SFL Under-17 Youth League Cup 2013–14 SPFL Under-19 League Celtic SPFL Under-19 League Cup Celtic 2014–15 SPFL Development League West Airdrieonians SPFL Development League East Forfar Athletic CAS Under-17 Elite Youth League Celtic 2015–16 SPFL Development League West Greenock Morton SPFL Development League East Stirling Albion CAS Under-17 Elite Youth League Celtic CAS Under-17 Development League St Johnstone 2016–17 SPFL Development League West Queen of the South SPFL Development League East Raith Rovers CAS Under-17 Elite Youth League Celtic CAS Under-17 Development League St Johnstone 2017–18 SPFL Development League West Greenock Morton SPFL Development League East Raith Rovers CAS Under-17 Elite Youth League Hamilton Academical CAS Under-17 Development League Inverness CT 2018–19 CAS Under-18 Elite Youth League Rangers 2021–22 CAS Under-18 Elite Youth League Hibernian 2022–23 CAS Under-18 Elite Youth League Hamilton AcademicalHamilton Accies' kids are alright as under-18s lift league title, Andy McGilvray, Daily Record, 25 May 2023 2023–24 CAS Under-18 Elite Youth League Aberdeen 2024–25 CAS Under-18 Elite Youth League Hibernian
References
External links League fixtures