The 2016–17 Professional U18 Development League was the fifth season of the Professional Development League system for youth football.
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 A in the second league stage became the overall champion and qualified for the UEFA Youth League for the 2017–18 season.
First League Stage North Division
South Division
Second league stage
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Martell Taylor-CrossdaleChelsea U18s212 Jordan AllanWolverhampton Wanderers U18s16 Liam CullenSwansea City U18s Ben HouseReading U18s Glen McAuleyLiverpool U18s6 Edward NketiahArsenal U18s15 Jack RolesTottenham Hotspur U18s8 Lorenzo GonzalezManchester City U18s14 Kelsey MooneyAston Villa U18s10 Cameron CresswellDerby County U18s13 Jadon SanchoManchester City U18s Samuel ShashouaTottenham Hotspur U18s13 Aidan BarlowManchester United U18s12 Daniel ButterworthBlackburn Rovers U18s Angel GomesManchester United U18s Fraser HornbyEverton U18s Jahmal Hector-IngramWest Ham United U18s18 Phil FodenManchester City U18s11 Jordan GreenidgeStoke City U18s Reo GriffithsTottenham Hotspur U18s Joe HardyManchester City U18s Korrey HenryWest Ham United U18s
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Cameron Cresswell Derby County U18sManchester United U18s 4–0 (H) Liam Millar Liverpool U18sBlackburn Rovers U18s 4–0 (H) Angel Gomes Manchester United U18sEverton U18s 1–5 (A) Martell Taylor-Crossdale Chelsea U18sNorwich City U18s 5–4 (A) Jahmal Hector-Ingram West Ham United U18sFulham U18s 1–5 (A) Martell Taylor-Crossdale Chelsea U18sArsenal U18s 4–2 (H) Edward Nketiah Arsenal U18sLeicester City U18s 5–0 (H) Lee Connelly Sunderland U18sEverton U18s 4–4 (A) Fraser Hornby Everton U18sStoke City U18s 2–5 (A) Korrey Henry West Ham United U18sNorwich City U18s 2–5 (A) Jordan Greenidge Stoke City U18sNewcastle United U18s 5–2 (H) Bilal Kamal Norwich City U18sReading U18s 9–2 (H) Joe Hardy Manchester City U18sWolverhampton Wanderers U18s 6–1 (H) Callum Gribbin Manchester United U18sLiverpool U18s 3–3 (A) Fraser Hornby Everton U18sManchester City U18s 3–3 (A) Kelsey Mooney Aston Villa U18sReading U18s 1–3 (A) Jack Roles Tottenham Hotspur U18sSouthampton U18s 2–6 (A) Anthony Spyrou Norwich City U18sTottenham Hotspur U18s 3–2 (H) Jadon Sancho Manchester City U18sBlackburn Rovers U18s 4–1 (H) Ben House Reading U18sSouthampton U18s 0–4 (A) Jadon Sancho Manchester City U18sWolverhampton Wanderers U18s 2–5 (A) Aidan Barlow Manchester United U18sNewcastle United U18s 4–0 (H) Michael Fernandes Reading U18sSwansea City U18s 0–7 (A) Martell Taylor-Crossdale Chelsea U18sBrighton & Hove Albion U18s 13–0 (H) Charlie Brown4 Chelsea U18sBrighton & Hove Albion U18s 13–0 (H) Luke McCormick Chelsea U18sBrighton & Hove Albion U18s 13–0 (H) Reo Griffiths Tottenham Hotspur U18sNorwich City U18s 3–2 (H) Edward Nketiah Arsenal U18sManchester City U18s 4–3 (H) Charlie Gilmour Arsenal U18sLiverpool U18s 4–1 (H) Reiss Nelson Arsenal U18sBlackburn Rovers U18s 1–5 (A) Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away 4 – player scored 4 goals
League 2
The Professional U18 Development League 2, also known as U18 PDL-2, was split into two regional divisions.
Teams played each team in their own division twice, and each team in the other division once, for a total of 28 games each.
At the end of the season, the teams finishing in the top two positions of both divisions met in the knockout stage to determine the overall league champion. Brentford withdrew from the competition after last year playing 4 seasons in the League.
Tables North Division
Source - Professional Development League North results
South Division
Source - Professional Development League South results
Knockout stage Semi-finals
Final
Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Jordan PonticelliCoventry City U18s272 Alex WillisCharlton Athletic U18s213 Cedwyn ScottHuddersfield Town U18s204 Virgil GomisNottingham Forest U18s19 Jordan HallamSheffield United U18s6 George HirstSheffield Wednesday U18s15 Jordan LoncharSheffield Wednesday U18s8 Francis Jno-BaptisteCrystal Palace U18s 13 Noel LeightonMillwall U18s Dennis PoliticBolton Wanderers U18s11 Kyle FinnCoventry City U18s1212 Lewis ReillyCrewe Alexandra U18s11 Dominic TearHuddersfield Town U18s13 Tyler SmithCardiff City U18s1014 Aaron CosgraveColchester United U18s9 Ben FolamiIpswich Town U18s Fraser PrestonSheffield Wednesday U18s Louis RoweBarnsley U18s Ryan WhiteBolton Wanderers U18s
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Cedwyn Scott Huddersfield Town U18sColchester United U18s 5–2 (H) Virgil Gomis Nottingham Forest U18sHull City U18s 3–1 (H) Victor Fundi Crystal Palace U18sCardiff City U18s 3–5 (A) Jordan Ponticelli Coventry City U18sColchester United U18s 2–5 (A) Luke Whalley Crewe Alexandra U18sSheffield United U18s 4–3 (H) Virgil Gomis Nottingham Forest U18sWatford U18s 1–4 (A) Francis Jno-Baptiste5 Crystal Palace U18sBarnsley U18s 0–7 (A) George Hirst Sheffield Wednesday U18sLeeds United U18s 3–0 (H) Jordan Ponticelli Coventry City U18sIpswich Town U18s 2–4 (A) Ahmed Salam Hull City U18sQueens Park Rangers U18s 3–0 (H) Cedwyn Scott Huddersfield Town U18sHull City U18s 6–0 (H) Louis Rowe4 Barnsley U18sHuddersfield Town U18s 2–4 (A) Dennis Politic4 Bolton Wanderers U18sCrewe Alexandra U18s 2–3 (A) Ryan White Bolton Wanderers U18sHull City U18s 4–1 (H) Joe Cook Sheffield Wednesday U18sHull City U18s 5–2 (H) Jordan Ponticelli5 Coventry City U18sCardiff City U18s 0–7 (H) Jordan Ponticelli Coventry City U18sNottingham Forest U18s 0–3 (H) George Alexander Millwall U18sCrewe Alexandra U18s 5–4 (H) Brennan Johnson Nottingham Forest U18sCardiff City U18s 4–4 (A) 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 once again competed this season. Burnley would be promoted to Category 2 Academy status after this season. 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
Notes
See also 2016–17 Professional U23 Development League 2016–17 FA Youth Cup 2016–17 in English football
References