The 2021–22 Professional U23 Development League was the tenth season of the Professional Development League system.
Nottingham Forest U23s and Birmingham City U23s both gained category one status. Manchester City U23s were the defending champions and successfully defend the title. Leeds United U23s and Crystal Palace U23s were both promoted and Southampton U23s were relegated.
Premier League 2 Division 1
Table
Results
Division 2
Table
Results </onlyinclude>
Play-offs
Semifinals
Final
Top goalscorers
Division 1
Rank Player Club Goals1 James McAteeManchester City U23s18 Jesurun Rak-SakyiCrystal Palace U23s3 Folarin BalogunArsenal U23s13 Jack ValeBlackburn Rovers U23s5 Dilan MarkandayTottenham Hotspur U23s12 Armstrong OkoflexWest Ham United U23s Sonny PerkinsWest Ham United U23s8 Mika BierethArsenal U23s119 Scott BanksCrystal Palace U23s10 Tawanda MaswanhiseLeicester City U23s11 Alfie DevineTottenham Hotspur U23s9
Division 2
Rank Player Club Goals1 Abu KamaraNorwich City U23s152 Thomas Dickson-PetersNorwich City U23s13 Luke HarrisFulham U23s4 Kazeem OlaigbeLeeds United U23s12 Will SwanNottingham Forest U23s6 Dylan StephensonNewcastle United U23s117 Will HarrisSunderland U23s108 Chem CampbellWolverhampton Wanderers U23s10 Flynn ClarkeNorwich City U23s Sonny HiltonFulham U23s Douglas James-TaylorStoke City U23s Julian LarssonNottingham Forest U23s Jonathan RoweNorwich City U23s
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Division Abu Kamara Norwich City U23s Southampton U23s 0–3 (A) Division 2 Armstrong Okoflex West Ham United U23s Arsenal U23s 6–1 (H) Division 1 James McAtee Manchester City U23s Blackburn Rovers U23s 4–2 (H) Division 1 Dilan Markanday Tottenham Hotspur U23s Leeds United U23s 2–4 (A) Division 1 James McAtee Manchester City U23sManchester United U23s 2–4 (A) Division 1 Caleb Chukwuemeka Aston Villa U23sWest Bromwich Albion U23s 4–2 (H) Division 2 Mika Biereth Arsenal U23sChelsea U23s 1–6 (A) Division 1 Will Harris Sunderland U23sWolverhampton Wanderers U23s 1–3 (A) Division 2 Jaden Philogene-Bidace Aston Villa U23sStoke City U23s 0–8 (A) Division 2 Cole Palmer Manchester City U23sLeicester City U23s 5–0 (H) Division 1 Will Harris Sunderland U23sAston Villa U23s 2–3 (A) Division 2 Benjamin Mbunga-Kimpioka Sunderland U23sReading U23s 2–3 (A) Division 2 Jack Stretton Derby County U23sBlackburn Rovers U23s 6–0 (H) Division 1 Elliot Anderson Newcastle United U23sNottingham Forest U23s 1–3 (A) Division 2 Folarin Balogun Arsenal U23s Derby County U23s 3–5 (H) Division 1 Thomas Dickson-Peters Norwich City U23sReading U23s 5–2 (H) Division 2 Armstrong Okoflex West Ham United U23s Crystal Palace U23s 2–4 (A) Division 1 Reyes Cleary West Bromwich Albion U23s Middlesbrough U23s 3–2 (H) Division 2 Jack Vale Blackburn Rovers U23s Brighton & Hove Albion U23s 6–0 (H) Division 1 Luke Harris Fulham U23s Newcastle United U23s 1–6 (A) Division 2 Will Swan Nottingham Forest U23sReading U23s 7–0 (H) Division 2 Chem Campbell Wolverhampton Wanderers U23sReading U23s 4–3 (H) Division 2 Ben Woods Burnley U23sNewcastle United U23s 5–1 (H) Division 2 Tyler Dibling Southampton U23sNewcastle United U23s 2–4 (A) Division 2 Luke Harris4 Fulham U23sBurnley U23s 6–1 (H) Division 2 Jack Vale4 Blackburn Rovers U23s Chelsea U23s 4–3 (H) Division 1 Jesurun Rak-Sakyi Crystal Palace U23sDerby County U23s 3–1 (H) Division 1 Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away 4 – player scored 4 goals
Awards Player of the season: James McAtee (Manchester City U23s) Player of the Month MonthPlayerClubRef.August James McAteeManchester City U23sSeptember Caleb ChukwuemekaAston Villa U23sOctober Dilan MarkandayTottenham Hotspur U23sNovember Folarin BalogunArsenal U23sDecember Tom Dickson-PetersNorwich City U23sJanuary Calum KavanaghMiddlesbrough U23sFebruary Jesurun Rak-SakyiCrystal Palace U23sMarch Christian MarquesWolverhampton Wanderers U23sApril Sonny PerkinsWest Ham United U23s
Professional Development League
The Professional Development League season is the tenth campaign of post-EPPP Under-23 football's second tier, designed for those academies with Category 2 status. A total of 17 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 resulting in 23 games for the North Division, and 24 games for the South Division. 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. Birmingham City U23s are the defending national champions.
17 Teams competed in the league this season, a record low for the competition with 1 fewer team than last season. Birmingham City U23s, the defending national champions would leave the league after 9 seasons alongside Nottingham Forest U23s to join the Premier League 2 as Category One Academies. Both founding members of the league left after 9 seasons. Peterborough United U23s joined as a Category Two Academy joining the North Division. Tables North Division
South Division
Knock-out stage Semi-finals
Final
Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Fábio TavaresCoventry City U23s172 Tawanda ChirewaIpswich Town U23s12 Tommy ConwayBristol City U23s4 Chay CooperColchester United U23s115 Sam BellBristol City U23s9 Thomas HughesIpswich Town U23s Daniel KanuCharlton Athletic U23s Chanka ZimbaCardiff City U23s9 Will JarvisHull City U23s8 McCauley SnelgroveHull City U23s Nahki WellsBristol City U23s11 Korede AdedoyinSheffield Wednesday U23s7 David BremangBarnsley U23s Tom Costello Wigan Athletic U23s
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Nahki Wells4 Bristol City U23s Hull City U23s 6–2 (H) Korede Adedoyin4 Sheffield Wednesday U23s Peterborough United U23s 5–1 (H) Matty Godden Coventry City U23sWigan Athletic U23s 5–3 (H) James Crole Cardiff City U23sCharlton Athletic U23s 4–1 (H) Fábio Tavares Coventry City U23sBarnsley U23s 1–3 (A) Charlie Kelman Queens Park Rangers U23sIpswich Town U23s 4–2 (H) Will Jarvis4 Hull City U23sCoventry City U23s 6–0 (H) Tommy Hughes Ipswich Town U23sQueens Park Rangers U23s 4–2 (H) Prince Henry Bristol City U23sMillwall U23s 4–0 (H) Kyle Joseph4 Swansea City U23sQueens Park Rangers U23s 5–1 (H) Tommy Conway Bristol City U23sCrewe Alexandra U23s 0–4 (A) William Osula4 Sheffield United U23sColchester United U23s 5–1 (H) Miles Leaburn Charlton Athletic U23sQueens Park Rangers U23s 0–3 (A) Daniel Kanu Charlton Athletic U23sQueens Park Rangers U23s 6–1 (H) Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away 4 – player scored 4 goals
See also 2021–22 in English football
References