The 2017-18 Under-18 Premier League is the fifth campaign of the top tier of the Under-18 Development League. A total of 24 teams are split regionally into north and south leagues.The format was changed completely this season. Instead of playing in the merit group stage format, teams face their regional opponents both home and away before the top two face each other to determine the national champion. No teams were added this season. As a result, 22 games were played in both the North and South Divisions. Chelsea U18s are the defending champions.
North
South
National Final
Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Reo GriffithsTottenham Hotspur U18s262 Mason GreenwoodManchester United U18s163 Anthony GordonEverton U18s144 Keyendrah SimmondsManchester City U18s13 Stephen WalkerMiddlesbrough U18s6 Charlie BrownChelsea U18s12 Manasse MampalaEverton U18s Nabil TouaiziManchester City U18s Rayhaan TullochWest Bromwich Albion U18s10 Nishan BurkartManchester United U18s11 Jordan GreenidgeStoke City U18s12 Kyle ConnellBlackburn Rovers U18s10 Stefan LjubicicBrighton & Hove Albion U18s Benjamin Mbunga-KimpiokaSunderland U18s15 Timmy AbrahamFulham U18s9 Korede AdedoyinEverton U18s Folarin BalogunArsenal U18s Adam IdahNorwich City U18s Curtis JonesLiverpool U18s Glen McAuleyLiverpool U18s Felix NmechaManchester City U18s Michael ObafemiSouthampton U18s Austin SamuelsWolverhampton Wanderers U18s Elias SorensenNewcastle United U18s Martell Taylor-CrossdaleChelsea U18s Conor TeeLeicester City U18s Cameron ThompsonFulham U18s
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Cameron Thompson Fulham U18s Arsenal U18s 4–1 (H) Anthony Gordon Everton U18s West Bromwich Albion U18s 1–7 (A) Emile Smith-Rowe Arsenal U18s West Ham United U18s 6–1 (H) Felix Nmecha Manchester City U18s Blackburn Rovers U18s 5–1 (H) Cameron Thompson Fulham U18s Reading U18s 2–5 (A) Rabbi Matondo Manchester City U18sSunderland U18s 6–2 (H) Martell Taylor-Crossdale Chelsea U18sFulham U18s 6–1 (H) Jordan Greenidge Stoke City U18s Blackburn Rovers U18s 6–0 (H) Mason Greenwood Manchester United U18s Wolverhampton Wanderers U18s 6–1 (H) Manasse Mampala Everton U18sSunderland U18s 1–5 (A) Rayhaan Tulloch West Bromwich Albion U18sSunderland U18s 3–5 (H) Benjamin Mbunga-Kimpioka Sunderland U18sWest Bromwich Albion U18s 3–5 (A) Charlie Brown Chelsea U18sWest Ham United U18s 7–0 (H) Conor Gallagher Chelsea U18sTottenham Hotspur U18s 4–4 (A) Rafael Camacho Liverpool U18sBlackburn Rovers U18s 1–6 (A) Phoenix Patterson Tottenham Hotspur U18sBrighton & Hove Albion U18s 3–6 (A) Fábio Carvalho Fulham U18sReading U18s 4–0 (H) Reo Griffiths Tottenham Hotspur U18sReading U18s 4–0 (H) Korede Adedoyin Everton U18sNewcastle United U18s 7–0 (H) Stefan Ljubicic Brighton & Hove Albion U18sAston Villa U18s 1–4 (A) Keyendrah Simmonds Manchester City U18sEverton U18s 6–1 (H) Felix Nmecha Manchester City U18sBlackburn Rovers U18s 0–5 (A) Reo Griffiths Tottenham Hotspur U18sNorwich City U18s 5–3 (A) Adam Idah Norwich City U18sTottenham Hotspur U18s 5–3 (H) Morgan Whittaker Derby County U18sNewcastle United U18s 3–1 (H) Rayhaan Tulloch West Bromwich Albion U18sBlackburn Rovers U18s 1–4 (A) Reo Griffiths4 Tottenham Hotspur U18sArsenal U18s 9–0 (H) Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away 4 – player scored 4 goals
Professional Development League 2
The Professional Development League is the sixth campaign of post-EPPP Under-23 football's second tier, designed for those academies with Category 2 status. A total of 21 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 30 games each in the North Division, and 29 games in the South division.
At the end of the season, the teams finishing in the top two positions of both divisions will meet in the knockout stage to determine the overall league champion. Burnley U18s were officially granted Category 2 status in the summer of 2017 and became the league's 21st team. At the end of the season, Huddersfield Town U18s would leave as they would drop from category 2 to category 4 so they could restructure their academy.
Tables North Division
South Division
Knock-out stage Semi-finals
Professional Development League Two Play-Off Final
Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Sion SpenceCardiff City U18s212 George AlexanderMillwall U18s183 Jardel Francis-AdeyinkaQueens Park Rangers U18s/Charlton Athletic U18s17 Luca NavarroBolton Wanderers U18s5 Ryan CassidyIpswich Town U18s16 Joseph HungboCrystal Palace U18s 7 Francis Jno-BaptisteCrystal Palace U18s 15 Jack ConcannonBirmingham City U18s Keane Lewis-PotterHull City U18s Wilberforce OcranBarnsley U18s/Charlton Athletic U18s11 Isaak DaviesCardiff City U18s14 Dennis PoliticBolton Wanderers U18s Brennan JohnsonNottingham Forest U18s Alex WillisCharlton Athletic U18s15 Antoine SemenyoBristol City U18s1316 George DanaherHuddersfield Town U18s12 Bobby KamwaLeeds United U18s Charley KendallQueens Park Rangers U18s Brendan Sarpong-WireduCharlton Athletic U18s20 Jack ClarkeLeeds United U18s11 Jordan ClarkeBirmingham City U18s Ben HughesSheffield Wednesday U18s Reece MillerWatford U18s24 Matty BarnesBolton Wanderers U18s10 Mickel PlattQueens Park Rangers U18s Reon PottsSheffield United U18s Kun TemenuzhkovLeeds United U18s Luke WalshCrewe Alexandra U18s Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Ryan Cassidy Watford U18s Burnley U18s 1–4 (A) Liam Shaw Sheffield Wednesday U18sColchester United U18s 6–0 (H) Jardel Francis-Adeyinka Queens Park Rangers U18sCrewe Alexandra U18s 2–3 (A) Luke Walsh Crewe Alexandra U18sCoventry City U18s 6–0 (H) Samuel Amissah Leeds United U18sMillwall U18s 6–0 (H) Dennis Politic Bolton Wanderers U18sCharlton Athletic U18s 3–1 (H) Jordan Cropper Burnley U18sSheffield Wednesday U18s 3–1 (H) Isaak Davies Cardiff City U18sQueens Park Rangers U18s 6–2 (H) Keane Lewis-Potter Hull City U18sNottingham Forest U18s 6–3 (H) Dennis Politic Bolton Wanderers U18sBirmingham City U18s 4–4 (H) Antoine Semenyo Bristol City U18sIpswich Town U18s 1–5 (A) Oliver Greaves Sheffield United U18sHuddersfield Town U18s 1–5 (A) Jack Clarke Leeds United U18s Sheffield Wednesday U18s 5–2 (H) Sion Spence Cardiff City U18sIpswich Town U18s 0–3 (A) Lucas Sinclair Millwall U18sCrystal Palace U18s 3–2 (H) Sion Spence Cardiff City U18sMillwall U18s 4–3 (A) George Danaher Huddersfield Town U18sCrewe Alexandra U18s 3–2 (H) Eddie Brown Bolton Wanderers U18sBarnsley U18s 3–1 (H) Matt Neary Millwall U18sWatford U18s 5–0 (H) Charley Kendall Queens Park Rangers U18sBristol City U18s 3–1 (H) Kareem Isiaka Charlton Athletic U18sQueens Park Rangers U18s 3–1 (H) Matty Barnes Bolton Wanderers U18sHuddersfield Town U18s 6–1 (H) Mickel Platt Queens Park Rangers U18sMillwall U18s 4–5 (A) Ahmed Salam Hull City U18sHuddersfield Town U18s 1–6 (A) Francis Jno-Baptiste Crystal Palace U18sWatford U18s 0–3 (A) Reece Miller Watford U18sNottingham Forest U18s 6–0 (H) Jack Concannon Birmingham City U18sColchester United U18s 6–2 (H) Isaak Davies Cardiff City U18sSheffield United U18s 8–0 (H) Keith Asare Nottingham Forest U18sHull City U18s 6–0 (H) Michael Fowler Burnley U18sHull City U18s 4–1 (H) Charley Kendall Queens Park Rangers U18sCardiff City U18s 5–1 (H) Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away
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, however the makeup was different. Burnley U18s would be promoted to Category 2 Academy status before this season to join the U18 Professional Development League 2. Forest Green Rovers U18s would join this season as a category 4 academy in the South-East Division, before promoting to a Category 3 Academy the next 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
See also 2017–18 in English football
References