The 2022–23 Professional U21 Development League was the 11th season of the Professional Development League system.
The Premier League 2 reverted back to a U21 competition ahead of the 2022–23 season. Burnley, Birmingham City and Reading left the league after failing to retain category one academy status.
For the 2022–23 season onwards, player eligibility was restricted to under-21 players (reduced from under-23) born after 1 January 2001. To help with the transition, teams were allowed up to five over-age outfield players (up from three) and one over-age goalkeeper for the 2022-23 season.
Premier League 2 Division 1
Table
Results
Division 2
Table
Results </onlyinclude>
Play-offs The date for semi-finals is confirmed as 8 May 2023 at 19:00. The date for final is confirmed as 15 May 2023 at 19:00.
Semifinals
Final
Top goalscorers
Division 1
Rank Player Club Goals1 Carlos ForbsManchester City U21s212 Divin MubamaWest Ham United U21s133 Luke HarrisFulham U21s124 Joe HugillManchester United U21s13 Dire MebudeManchester City U21s Layton StewartLiverpool U21s7 Mason BurstowChelsea U21s10 Harry LeonardCrystal Palace U23s Stan MillsEverton U21s Andrew MoranBrighton & Hove Albion U21s
Division 2
Rank Player Club Goals1 Reyes ClearyWest Bromwich Albion U21s16 Mateo JosephLeeds United U21s3 Dominic BallardSouthampton U21s144 Abu KamaraNorwich City U21s135 Sonny PerkinsLeeds United U21s126 Ateef KonateNottingham Forest U21s9
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Division Mateo Joseph4 Leeds United U21s Derby County U21s 2–5 (A) Division 2 Luke Harris Fulham U21sChelsea U21s 0–3 (A) Division 1 Max Thompson Sunderland U21sDerby County U21s 0–4 (A) Division 2 Evan Ferguson Brighton & Hove Albion U21sLeicester City U21s 1–4 (A) Division 1 John-Kymani Gordon Crystal Palace U21sTottenham Hotspur U21s 3–0 (H) Division 1 Patrick Bamford Leeds United U21sSouthampton U21s 6–2 (H) Division 2 Mateo Joseph Leeds United U21s Stoke City U21s 4–0 (H) Division 2 Layton Stewart Liverpool U21sWolverhampton Wanderers U21s 4–0 (H) Division 1 Reyes Cleary West Bromwich Albion U21sMiddlesbrough U21s 5–2 (H) Division 2 Mateo Joseph Leeds United U21sMiddlesbrough U21s 2–4 (A) Division 2 Sékou Mara4 Southampton U21sMiddlesbrough U21s 8–1 (H) Division 2 Theo Walcott Southampton U21sMiddlesbrough U21s 8–1 (H) Division 2 Carlos Borges4 Manchester City U21sManchester United U21s 1–6 (A) Division 1 Max Dean Leeds United U21sNewcastle United U21s 4–2 (H) Division 2 Omari Forson Manchester United U21sEverton U21s 4–1 (H) Division 1 Harry Gardiner Sunderland U21sStoke City U21s 4–1 (H) Division 2 Jeremy Sivi Middlesbrough U21sDerby County U21s 1–5 (A) Division 2 Reyes Cleary West Bromwich Albion U21sDerby County U21s 1–5 (A) Division 2 Cameron Peupion Brighton & Hove Albion U21sManchester City U21s 3–2 (H) Division 1 Owen Farmer Wolverhampton Wanderers U21sEverton U21s 5–0 (H) Division 1 Nathan Fraser Wolverhampton Wanderers U21sCrystal Palace U21s 5–0 (H) Division 1 Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away 4 – player scored 4 goals
Awards Player of the season: Carlos Borges (Manchester City U21s) Player of the Month MonthPlayerClubRef.August Sonny PerkinsLeeds United U21sSeptember John-Kymani GordonCrystal Palace U21sOctober Ateef KonateNottingham Forest U21sJanuary Joe Hugill Manchester United U21sFebruary Carlos Borges Manchester City U21sMarch Mason Burstow Chelsea U21sApril Cameron PeupionBrighton & Hove Albion U21s
Professional Development League
The Professional Development League is Under-21 football's second tier, designed for those academies with Category 2 status. The league is 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 28 games being played by both divisions. 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. Coventry City U21s are the defending champions.
20 Teams competed in the league this season, 3 more than the previous season. Burnley U21s and Birmingham City U21s returned to the league after failing to retain Category One Academy status after 2 seasons for Burnley U21s, and 1 season for Birmingham City U21s. Reading U21s joined after temporarily dropping to Category Two status after 10 seasons in the Premier League 2. Tables North Division
South Division
Knock-out stage Semi-finals
Professional Development League National Final
Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Louie MarshSheffield United U21s232 Josh ThomasSwansea City U21s173 Abdul AbdulmalikMillwall U21s164 William OsulaSheffield United U21s145 Daniel KanuCharlton Athletic U21s13 Seb Palmer-HouldenBristol City U21s Chris SzeWigan Athletic U21s8 Seb DrozdMillwall U21s11 Connor EvansCrewe Alexandra U21s Bradley IhionvienColchester United U21s Will JarvisHull City U21s Jim SimmsHull City U21s Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Jim Simms Hull City U21sWatford U21s 5–0 (H) Gavin Whyte Cardiff City U21sSheffield United U21s 0–3 (A) Sinclair Armstrong Queens Park Rangers U21sCardiff City U21s 3–5 (A) Dara Costelloe Burnley U21sCoventry City U21s 1–3 (A) Femi Azeez Reading U21sIpswich Town U21s 2–7 (A) Chris Sze Wigan Athletic U21sBirmingham City U21s 5–0 (H) Connor Evans Crewe Alexandra U21sBurnley U21s 3–4 (A) Connor Evans Crewe Alexandra U21sIpswich Town U21s 3–2 (H) Ruben Davies4 Swansea City U21sIpswich Town U21s 5–3 (H) Matheus Martins Watford U21sPeterborough United U21s 7–0 (H) Seb Palmer-Houlden Bristol City U21sIpswich Town U21s 4–1 (H) Louie Marsh Sheffield United U21sColchester United U21s 7–1 (H) William Osula Sheffield United U21sColchester United U21s 7–1 (H) Harry Wood Hull City U21sCharlton Athletic U21s 0–5 (A) Josh Thomas4 Swansea City U21sBirmingham City U21s 10–1 (H) William OsulaSheffield United U21sBristol City U21s 4–0 (H) Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away 4 – player scored 4 goals
See also 2022–23 in English football
References