The 2015–16 Professional U18 Development League was the fourth season of the Professional Development League system.
League 1
The league was split into two regional divisions – north and south. After playing each team in their own division twice, the league was split into a second league stage consisting of three further divisions. The winning team of Group 1 in the second league stage was the overall champion and qualified for the UEFA Youth League in the 2016–17 season. First League stage North Division
South Division
Second league stage
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Edward NketiahArsenal U18s242 Ike UgboChelsea U18s223 Lukas NmechaManchester City U18s204 Mitchell CurryMiddlesbrough U18s185 Nathan BroadheadEverton U18s17 Lewis MansellBlackburn Rovers U18s7 Sam SmithReading U18s168 Admiral MuskweLeicester City U18s159 Jordan Maguire-DrewBrighton & Hove Albion U18s14 Daniel PybusSunderland U18s11 Isaac BuckleyManchester City U18s13 Ryan LoftTottenham Hotspur U18s
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Ike Ugbo Chelsea U18sNorwich City U18s 1–4 (A) Jordan Maguire-Drew4 Brighton & Hove Albion U18sSwansea City U18s 6–0 (H) Toni Gomes Liverpool U18sMiddlesbrough U18s 4–3 (H) Lewis Mansell Blackburn Rovers U18sLiverpool U18s 0–4 (A) Lewis McNall Newcastle United U18sManchester United U18s 3–2 (H) Lewis Mansell Blackburn Rovers U18sStoke City U18s 1–5 (A) Admiral Muskwe Leicester City U18sReading U18s 3–3 (H) Admiral Muskwe Leicester City U18sSouthampton U18s 5–1 (H) Ryan Loft Tottenham Hotspur U18sNorwich City U18s 0–3 (A) Nathan Broadhead Everton U18sWest Bromwich Albion U18s 0–3 (A) Donyell Malen Arsenal U18sReading U18s 4–3 (H) Josh Walker Fulham U18sLeicester City U18s 6–1 (H) Delial Brewster Everton U18sManchester United U18s 4–2 (H) Ike Ugbo Chelsea U18sSouthampton U18s 2–7 (A) Sam Smith Reading U18sSwansea City U18s 3–2 (H) Dennis Adeniran Fulham U18sTottenham Hotspur U18s 5–3 (H) Grady Diangana West Ham United U18sNorwich City U18s 3–4 (H) Nicolae Carnat Wolverhampton Wanderers U18sEverton U18s 0–8 (A) Isaac Buckley Manchester City U18sDerby County U18s 7–2 (H) Antony Evans Everton U18sNewcastle United U18s 0–8 (A) Shayne Lavery Everton U18sNewcastle United U18s 0–8 (A) Nathan Broadhead Everton U18sDerby County U18s 3–1 (H) Toni Gomes Liverpool U18sSunderland U18s 5–0 (H) Reece Meekums Brighton & Hove Albion U18sNorwich City U18s 2–5 (A) Harvey Barnes Leicester City U18sWolverhampton Wanderers U18s 2–7 (A) Julien Ngoy Stoke City U18sDerby County U18s 3–3 (A) Indy Boonen Manchester United U18sNewcastle United U18s 7–1 (H) Dan N'Lundulu Southampton U18sNorwich City U18s 3–1 (H) Elliot Embleton Sunderland U18sWest Bromwich Albion U18s 1–4 (A) Edward Nketiah Arsenal U18sTottenham Hotspur U18s 3–3 (H) Daniel Pybus Sunderland U18sWolverhampton Wanderers U18s 3–3 (H) Daniel Butterworth Blackburn Rovers U18sChelsea U18s 3–0 (H) Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away 4 – player scored 4 goals
League 2
League 2, referred to as the Professional Development U18 League, 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 this season, 2 more than last season. Hull City U18s and Watford U18s were promoted to Category 2 Academy status joining the league this year. Hull City played in the North, and Watford played in the South.
North Division table
South Division table
Knock-out stage Semifinals
Final
Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Ben BreretonNottingham Forest U18s28 Ronan HaleBirmingham City U18s3 Jordan HallamSheffield United U18s244 Ben MorrisIpswich Town U18s215 Jack BoyleHuddersfield Town U18s186 Michael FoliviWatford U18s17 Alex SamizadehBolton Wanderers U18s8 Owen DaleCrewe Alexandra U18s169 Virgil GomisNottingham Forest U18s15 Levi LumekaCrystal Palace U18s Mallik WilksLeeds United U18s
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Alex Samizadeh Bolton Wanderers U18sColchester United U18s 2–4 (A) Callum Ainley Crewe Alexandra U18sHull City U18s 3–0 (H) Suliaman Bah Charlton Athletic U18sQueens Park Rangers U18s 9–0 (H) Ademola Lookman4 Charlton Athletic U18sQueens Park Rangers U18s 9–0 (H) David Popa Birmingham City U18sHull City U18s 4–5 (A) Jack Boyle Huddersfield Town U18sBolton Wanderers U18s 3–4 (A) Ademola Lookman Charlton Athletic U18sHuddersfield Town U18s 0–4 (A) Mallik Wilks4 Charlton Athletic U18sQueens Park Rangers U18s 9–2 (A) Jack Boyle Huddersfield Town U18sHull City U18s 7–0 (H) Jack Boyle Huddersfield Town U18sCrewe Alexandra U18s 4–4 (A) Bassala Sambou4 Coventry City U18sBirmingham City U18s 1–5 (A) Eoin McKeown4 Colchester United U18sQueens Park Rangers U18s 8–1 (H) Owen Dale Crewe Alexandra U18sHull City U18s 2–5 (A) Cedwyn Scott Huddersfield Town U18sBolton Wanderers U18s 5–1 (H) Jordan Hallam Sheffield United U18sCrewe Alexandra U18s 4–3 (H) Jamie Bird Cardiff City U18sCrystal Palace U18s 5–0 (H) Tyler Smith Sheffield United U18sBolton Wanderers U18s 6–0 (H) Ronan Hale4 Birmingham City U18sCoventry City U18s 2–4 (A) Ronan Hale5 Birmingham City U18sLeeds United U18s 2–6 (A) Adam Edgar Huddersfield Town U18sCoventry City U18s 0–7 (A) Luca Colville Huddersfield Town U18sCoventry City U18s 0–7 (A) Levi Lumeka Crystal Palace U18sQueens Park Rangers U18s 1–6 (A) Jordan Hallam Sheffield United U18sHuddersfield Town U18s 0–5 (A) Bassala Sambou Coventry City U18sBarnsley U18s 5–4 (H) Ronan Hale Birmingham City U18sSheffield Wednesday U18s 1–3 (A) Ben Morris Ipswich Town U18sCardiff City U18s 6–0 (H) Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away 4 – player scored 4 goals 5 – player scored 5 goals
League 3
League 3 is run by the Football League under the auspices of the Football League Youth Alliance. 50 teams entered the competition this season, 2 fewer than the previous season. Hull City U18s and Watford U18s were promoted to Category 2 Academy status, and Torquay United U18s left the league. Yeovil Town U18s joined the league this season.
League stage
North-West Division
North-East Division
South-West Division
South-East 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
See also 2015–16 Professional U21 Development League 2015–16 FA Cup 2015–16 FA Youth Cup 2015–16 in English football
References