The 2020–21 Professional U23 Development League was the ninth season of the Professional Development League system.
Burnley U23s, Crystal Palace U23s and Leeds United U23s joined the Premier League 2 for the 2020–21 season after gaining category one status academies. Prior to the start of the season Swansea City left the league after downgrading their academy to category two.
Premier League 2
Division 1 Table
PosClubPWDLFAGDPts1Manchester City U23s (C)2417527930+49562Chelsea U23s2412665036+14423Tottenham Hotspur U23s2411584544+1384Blackburn Rovers U23s2410774841+7375Everton U23s2410684428+16366Derby County U23s24113104349–6367Liverpool U23s2410594850–2358Manchester United U23s24104105859–1349Brighton & Hove Albion U23s247983642–63010Arsenal U23s2468103743–62611West Ham United U23s2466123248–162412Leicester City U23s2464144155–142213Southampton U23s (R)2444162965–3616
Results
Division 2 Table
PosClubPWDLFAGDPts1Leeds United U23s (P)2418246229+33562Stoke City U23s2414374130+11453Crystal Palace U23s (P)24113104541+4364Wolverhampton Wanderers U23s2410684036+4365Sunderland U23s2410594241+1356Middlesbrough U23s24104104435+9347Burnley U23s24104103841–3348Reading U23s24102124154–13329Aston Villa U23s2494114648-23110Fulham U23s2493123846–83011Norwich City U23s2474133240–82512West Bromwich Albion U23s2474133749–122513Newcastle United U23s2474133147–1625
Results
Play-offs
Semifinals
Final
Top goalscorers
Division 1
Rank Player Club Goals1 Liam DelapManchester City U23s242 Cole PalmerManchester City U23s133 Connor McBrideBlackburn Rovers U23s124 Nathan BroadheadEverton U23s11 Cameron CresswellDerby County U23s5 Joe HugillManchester United U23s10 Felix NmechaManchester City U23s Mipo OdubekoWest Ham United U23s Shola ShoretireManchester United U23s Jacob WakelingLeicester City U23s11 Folarin BalogunArsenal U23s9 Anthony ElangaManchester United U23s Kion EteteTottenham Hotspur U23s
Division 2
Rank Player Club Goals1 Josh HawkesSunderland U23s142 Louie BarryAston Villa U23s133 Sam GreenwoodLeeds United U23s124 Joe GelhardtLeeds United U23s11 Fabio CarvalhoFulham U23s6 Femi AzeezReading U23s10 Aaron RamseyAston Villa U23s Max ThompsonBurnley U23s Jean-Pierre TiehiFulham U23s10 Ethon VarianStoke City U23s911 Sylvester JasperFulham U23s8 Joel MumbongoBurnley U23s Jayden OnenReading U23s
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Division Gabriel Kyeremateng4 Stoke City U23s Leeds United U23s 4–0 (H) Division 2 Isaac Fletcher Middlesbrough U23sSunderland U23s 0–6 (A) Division 2 Moritz Bauer Stoke City U23sReading U23s 4–1 (H) Division 2 Jack Stretton Derby County U23sWest Ham United U23s 3–2 (H) Division 1 Dan N'Lundulu Southampton U23sManchester City U23s 5–2 (H) Division 1 Fabio Carvalho Fulham U23sCrystal Palace U23s 5–2 (H) Division 2 Nathan Tella Southampton U23sLeicester City U23s 5–2 (H) Division 1 Ethon Varian Stoke City U23sWest Bromwich Albion U23s 4–3 (H) Division 2 Crysencio Summerville Leeds United U23sBurnley U23s 1–4 (A) Division 2 Liam Delap Manchester City U23sDerby County U23s 0–4 (A) Division 1 Folarin Balogun Arsenal U23sBrighton & Hove Albion U23s 5–0 (H) Division 1 Louie Barry Aston Villa U23sNorwich City U23s 2–3 (A) Division 2 Joe Hugill4 Manchester United U23sLiverpool U23s 3–6 (A) Division 1 Sion Spence Crystal Palace U23sNorwich City U23s 4–0 (H) Division 2 Shola Shoretire Manchester United U23sBlackburn Rovers U23s 6–4 (H) Division 1 Nathan Broadhead Everton U23sManchester United U23s 3–1 (H) Division 1 Cole Palmer Manchester City U23sWest Ham United U23s 5–0 (H) Division 1 Liam Delap Manchester City U23sSouthampton U23s 7–1 (H) Division 1 Joe Gelhardt Leeds United U23sWest Bromwich Albion U23s 0–5 (A) Division 2 Mipo Odubeko West Ham United U23sManchester United U23s 2–3 (A) Division 1 Jacob Wakeling Leicester City U23sSouthampton U23s 7–1 (H) Division 1 Liam Delap Manchester City U23sTottenham Hotspur U23s 1–6 (A) Division 1 Charlie Whitaker Everton U23sSouthampton U23s 4–0 (H) Division 1 Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away 4 – player scored 4 goals
Awards Player of the season: Liam Delap (Manchester City U23s)
Player of the Month MonthPlayerClubRef.September Sam Greenwood Leeds United U23sOctober Cole PalmerManchester City U23sNovember Liam DelapManchester City U23sDecember Lewis BateChelsea U23sJanuary Louie BarryAston Villa U23sFebruary Shola ShoretireManchester United U23sMarch Aaron RamseyAston Villa U23sApril Ademipo OdubekoWest Ham United U23s
Professional Development League
The 2020-2021 Professional Development League season is the ninth campaign of post-EPPP Under-23 football's second tier, designed for those academies with Category 2 status. A total of 18 teams are split regionally into north and south divisions, with each team facing opponents in their own region twice both home and away and opponents in the other region once for a total of 25 games. The sides finishing in the top two positions in both regions at the end of the season will progress to a knockout stage to determine the overall league champion. Nottingham Forest and Millwall are the defending regional champions.
18 Teams competed in the league this season, a record low with 3 fewer teams than last season. Swansea City U23s dropped down to Category Two status in August 2020 and will join the South division this season after 5 years in the Premier League 2, while Burnley U23s, Crystal Palace U23s, and founding member Leeds United U23s joined the Premier League 2 for the 2020–21 season after gaining Category One status Academies after 3 seasons in the league for Burnley U23s, 7 seasons in the league for Crystal Palace U23s and 8 seasons in the league for founding member Leeds United U23s respectively. Bolton Wanderers U23s also left dropping down to Category Three after 5 seasons in the league. Tables North Division
South Division
Knock-out stage Semi-finals
Professional Development League National Final
Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Louis BrittonBristol City U23s162 Josh AndrewsBirmingham City U23s10 Adan GeorgeBirmingham City U23s Iliman N'DiayeSheffield United U23s Will SwanNottingham Forest U23s6 Ali Al-HamadiSwansea City U23s9 Sam BellBristol City U23s Isaak DaviesCardiff City U23s9 Zak BrownIpswich Town U23s8 Zak BruntSheffield United U23s Junior QuitirnaCharlton Athletic U23s Ahmed SalamHull City U23s13 Danny BrammallBarnsley U23s7 Charles ClaydenCharlton Athletic U23s Daniel JebbisonSheffield United U23s Charlie Jolley Wigan Athletic U23s Sean O'BrienMillwall U23s
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Jake Taylor Nottingham Forest U23s Wigan Athletic U23s 1–5 (A) Louis Britton Bristol City U23s Swansea City U23s 3–0 (H) Josh Andrews Birmingham City U23sIpswich Town U23s 4–5 (H) Zak Brown Ipswich Town U23sBirmingham City U23s 4–5 (A) Josh Thomas Swansea City U23sNottingham Forest U23s 4–2 (H) Iliman N'Diaye Sheffield United U23sCrewe Alexandra U23s 4–0 (H) Ahmed Salam Hull City U23sIpswich Town U23s 4–1 (H) Rubin Colwill Cardiff City U23sWigan Athletic U23s 6–1 (H) Fabio Tavares Coventry City U23sCardiff City U23s 1–6 (A) William Osula Sheffield United U23sIpswich Town U23s 4–0 (H) Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away
See also 2020–21 in English football
References