The 2023–24 Professional U21 Development League was the 12th season of the Professional Development League system.
The Premier League 2 changed format for 2023–24 with one division instead of two.
Reading regained Category One status in the summer.
Premier League 2
Table
Results
Elimination Playoffs
Round of 16
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Final
Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Will LankshearTottenham Hotspur U21s232 Callum MarshallWest Ham United U21s183 Kenneth AbohNorwich City U21s11 Amario Cozier-DuberryArsenal U21s Ethan NwaneriArsenal U21s Ronnie StutterChelsea U21s7 Yago AlonsoTottenham Hotspur U21s10 Leo CastledineChelsea U21s George EarthyWest Ham United U21s Mark O'MahonyBrighton & Hove Albion U21s Jude Soonsup-BellTottenham Hotspur U21s Jayden WarehamReading U21s13 Lewis KoumasLiverpool U21s9 Kobei MooreAston Villa U21s Ellis TaylorSunderland U21s
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Luca Thomas Leeds United U21sBrighton & Hove Albion U21s 2–4 (A) Dominic Ballard Southampton U21sNewcastle United U21s 5–3 (A) Dominic Ballard Southampton U21sAston Villa U21s 4–2 (H) Ethan Nwaneri Arsenal U21sLeicester City U21s 4–1 (H) Callum Marshall West Ham United U21sLeeds United U21s 2–5 (A) Callum Marshall West Ham United U21sMiddlesbrough U21s 5–0 (H) Ademola Ola-Adebomi Crystal Palace U21sManchester City U21s 1–7 (A) Semir Telalovic Blackburn Rovers U21sStoke City U21s 3–6 (H) Francis Okoronkwo Everton U21sSouthampton U21s 5–0 (H) Nathan Lowe Stoke City U21sManchester City U21s 5–1 (H) Jimmy-Jay Morgan Chelsea U21sReading U21s 5–1 (H) Will Lankshear Tottenham Hotspur U21sAston Villa U21s 5–3 (H) Sam Mather4 Manchester United U21sNorwich City U21s 4–2 (H) Adrion Pajaziti Fulham U21sReading U21s 7–1 (H) Luke Plange Crystal Palace U21sAston Villa U21s 4–2 (H) Errol Mundle-Smith Norwich City U21sAston Villa U21s 1–4 (A) Jesurun Rak-Sakyi Crystal Palace U21sTottenham Hotspur U21s 5–0 (H) Diego Moreira Chelsea U21s Arsenal U21s 2–3 (A) Ellis Taylor Sunderland U21sReading U21s 3–4 (A) Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away 4 – player scored 4 goals
Awards Player of the season: Will Lankshear (Tottenham Hotspur U21s) Player of the Month MonthPlayerClubRef.August Martial Godo Fulham U21sSeptember Callum MarshallWest Ham United U21sOctober Jamie Donley Tottenham Hotspur U21sNovember Ademola Ola-Adebomi Crystal Palace U21sDecember Callum MarshallWest Ham United U21sJanuary Will Lankshear Tottenham Hotspur U21sFebruary Jayden Danns Liverpool U21sMarch Adrion Pajaziti Fulham U21sApril Amario Cozier-Duberry Arsenal U21s
Professional Development League
The Professional Development League 2 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 30 games played for the North Division, while the south division played 29 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. Millwall are the defending champions.
21 Teams competed in the league this season, one more team than the previous season. Reading U21s regained Category One status in the summer leaving the league after one solitary season. Meanwhile, AFC Bournemouth U21s, and Fleetwood Town U21s join the league for the very first time as both Academies reaches Category Two status for the 2023–24 season. Tables North Division
South Division
Knock-out stage Semi-finals
Professional Development League National Final
Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Daniel Adu-AdjeiAFC Bournemouth U21s18 Patrick CaseyCharlton Athletic U21s3 Abdul AbdulmalikMillwall U21s16 Junior DixonBirmingham City U21s Louie MarshSheffield United U21s Kyrell WilsonSwansea City U21s7 Aiden MarshBarnsley U21s14 Tyrell Sellars-FlemingHull City U21s9 Ryan OnéHull City U21s1310 Leon AyindeIpswich Town U21s12 Tom LeahyMillwall U21s12 Bailey CadamarteriSheffield Wednesday U21s11 Fabio JaloBarnsley U21s Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Aiden Marsh Barnsley U21s Swansea City U21s 4–2 (H) Louie Marsh Sheffield United U21s Ipswich Town U21s 6–0 (H) Steven Bala Queens Park Rangers U21s Coventry City U21s 4–2 (H) Louie Marsh Sheffield United U21s Bristol City U21s 0–4 (A) Joe Westley Burnley U21s Queens Park Rangers U21s 3–0 (H) Kyrell Wilson Swansea City U21sWatford U21s 4–4 (H) Daniel Kanu Charlton Athletic U21sBristol City U21s 4–2 (H) Daniel Adu-Adjei AFC Bournemouth U21sSwansea City U21s 4–3 (H) Patrick Casey5 Charlton Athletic U21sCardiff City U21s 5–5 (H) Frankie Baker Millwall U21sBristol City U21s 5–1 (H) Kristian Fletcher Swansea City U21sIpswich Town U21s 4–0 (H) Kristian Fletcher Swansea City U21sColchester United U21s 4–1 (H) Aidomo Emakhu Millwall U21sCardiff City U21s 5–1 (H) Tolu LadapoCharlton Athletic U21sMillwall U21s 1–6 (A) Fabio Jalo Barnsley U21sFleetwood Town U21s 2–4 (A) Kaleel GreenColchester United U21sBristol City U21s 6–2 (H) Maliq CadoganSwansea City U21sWatford U21s 0–5 (A) Tyrell Sellars-FlemingHull City U21sBurnley U21s 6–1 (H) Tom LeahyMillwall U21sCoventry City U21s 6–0 (H) William OsulaSheffield United U21sCoventry City U21s 5–0 (H) Rafferty PedderQueens Park Rangers U21sCharlton Athletic U21s 4–0 (H) Josiah DyerBarnsley U21sMillwall U21s 3–3 (A) Daniel Adu-AdjeiAFC Bournemouth U21sFleetwood Town U21s 5–0 (H) Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away 5 – player scored 5 goals
See also 2023–24 in English football
References