The 2015–16 Professional U21 Development League is the fourth season of the Professional Development League system.
League 1
League 1, referred to as the Barclays Under 21 Premier League for sponsorship reasons, was split into two divisions, with teams allocated places in Division 1 or 2 based on their performance in the 2014–15 season.
At the end of the season, the team which finished top of Division 1 was crowned as overall League 1 champions, and the bottom two teams in Division 1 will be relegated to Division 2 for the 2016–17 season.
Division 1 Table
Results
Division 2 Table
Results
Play-offs
Semifinals
Final
Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Stephy MavididiArsenal U21s132 Arnel JakupovicMiddlesbrough U21s123 Bersant CelinaManchester City EDS11 Rowan LiburdReading U21s5 Will KeaneManchester United U21s106 Tammy AbrahamChelsea U21s9 Ivan CaleroDerby County U21s Kieran DowellEverton U21s Dominic TelfordStoke City U21s10 Shayon HarrisonTottenham Hotspur U21s8 Owain JonesSwansea City U21s Oliver McBurnieSwansea City U21s Callum RobertsNewcastle United U21s Offrande ZanzalaDerby County U21s
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Division Duncan Watmore Sunderland U21sManchester City EDS 3–0 (H) Division 1 Bradley Fewster Middlesbrough U21sNorwich City U21s 0–5 (A) Division 1 Jamar Loza5 Norwich City U21sSouthampton U21s 7–2 (H) Division 1 Will Keane Manchester United U21sReading U21s 1–3 (A) Division 1 Will Keane5 Manchester United U21sNorwich City U21s 7–0 (H) Division 1 Sheyi Ojo Liverpool U21sMiddlesbrough U21s 2–3 (A) Division 1 Marvin Emnes Swansea City U21sBlackburn Rovers U21s 5–0 (H) Division 2 Jay Rodriguez Southampton U21sLiverpool U21s 0–5 (A) Division 1 Shayon Harrison Tottenham Hotspur U21sSunderland U21s 3–1 (H) Division 1 Kieran Dowell Everton U21sLeicester City U21s 3–1 (H) Division 1 Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away 5 – player scored 5 goals
Awards Player of the Month MonthPlayerClubRef.August Lynden GoochSunderland U21sSeptember Ivan ToneyNewcastle United U21sOctober Offrande ZanzalaDerby County U21s November Harry ChapmanMiddlesbrough U21s December Kyle Walker-PetersTottenham Hotspur U21s January Callum RobertsNewcastle United U21s February Rees GreenwoodSunderland U21s March Courtney DuffusEverton U21s April Kasey PalmerChelsea U21s
League 2
League 2, referred to as the U21 Professional Development League 2, is split into two regional divisions.
Teams will play each team in their own division twice, and each team in the other division once, for a total of 30 games for North division teams, and 29 games each for South division teams.
At the end of the season, the teams finishing in the top two positions of both divisions will meet in the knockout stage to determine the overall league champion.
21 Teams competed in the league this season, 2 more than last season. Swansea City U21s left the league after 3 seasons to join the Premier League 2 as a Category One Academy on July 10. Meanwhile, Bolton Wanderers U21s joined the league after dropping their Academy to Category Two Status in June. Hull City U21s, and Watford U21s joined the league after obtaining Category Two Academy status with Hull City joining in May, and on July 3 for Watford. League stage
North Division table
South Division table
Results
Knock-out stage Semifinals
Final
Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Alex JakubiakWatford U21s162 Joshua UmerahCharlton Athletic U21s153 Rhys HealeyCardiff City U21s144 Jarrod BowenHull City U21s13 Jan HolldackBrentford U21s6 Alex JonesBirmingham City U21s12 George ThomasCoventry City U21s8 Rekeil PykeHuddersfield Town U21s119 Femi AkinwandeColchester United U21s9 Flo BojajHuddersfield Town U21s Jake CharlesHuddersfield Town U21s Diego De GirolamoSheffield United U21s Jamie ThomasBolton Wanderers U21s14 Brandon HanlanCharlton Athletic U21s8 Frank MulhernLeeds United U21s Alfie PaveyMillwall U21s James ThorneNottingham Forest U21s Kaiyne WooleryBolton Wanderers U21s Jake WrightSheffield United U21s
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Junior Hoilett Queens Park Rangers U21s Huddersfield Town U21s 5–5 (H) Keshi Anderson Crystal Palace U21s Watford U21s 6–2 (H) Keshi Anderson Crystal Palace U21sBarnsley U21s 0–4 (A) Alfie Pavey Millwall U21sCoventry City U21s 4–1 (H) Macauley Bonne Colchester United U21sBarnsley U21s 4–1 (H) Greg Luer Hull City U21sQueens Park Rangers U21s 2–6 (A) Ebere Eze Millwall U21sQueens Park Rangers U21s 0–4 (A) Kaiyne Woolery Bolton Wanderers U21sLeeds United U21s 3–3 (A) Joseph N'Guessan Queens Park Rangers U21sCrystal Palace U21s 1–3 (A) Alex Jakubiak Watford U21sBrentford U21s 3–3 (H) Bradley Ash Barnsley U21sLeeds United U21s 1–4 (A) Freddie Ladapo Crystal Palace U21sWatford U21s 0–5 (A) Alex Jones Birmingham City U21sMillwall U21s 3–0 (H) Shaun Tuton Barnsley U21s Leeds United U21s 3–3 (H) Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away 4 – player scored 4 goals
See also 2015–16 Professional U18 Development League 2015–16 FA Cup 2015–16 FA Youth Cup 2015–16 Under-21 Premier League Cup 2015–16 in English football
References