The Premier Reserve League (officially known as The Barclays Premier Reserve League for sponsorship reasons) was the reserve team league for the top English football teams in the Premier League. The league was split into a northern and a southern division.
The league started out in 1999, replacing The Central League in the north and The Football Combination in the south as the top level of reserve-team football, although those competitions continued for lower-level teams and from 2004 to 2005, the regional champions would play-off for the title.Nomad Studio
From the 2006–07 edition until its disbandment, the league was only open to sides whose senior teams were one of the 20 members of the Premier League. As a result, a senior team's relegation from the Premier League would mean relegation for the reserve team from the Premier Reserve League and replacement by the reserve team of the promoted team from the Championship.
Tottenham Hotspur decided against entering a side for the 2009–10 Premier Reserve League season and other teams followed suit in the 2 following seasons. The final season was the 2011–12 season. At the end of that season, it was replaced by an under-21 competition, called the Professional Development League 1.
Winners SeasonNorthern ChampionsSouthern ChampionsPlay-off Final Winners1999–2000 Liverpool ReservesDerby County Reserves–2000–01 Everton ReservesDerby County Reserves–2001–02 Manchester United ReservesIpswich Town Reserves–2002–03 Sunderland ReservesWatford Reserves–2003–04Aston Villa ReservesCharlton Athletic Reserves–2004–05Manchester United ReservesCharlton Athletic ReservesManchester United Reserves2005–06Manchester United ReservesTottenham Hotspur ReservesManchester United Reserves2006–07Bolton Wanderers ReservesReading ReservesReading Reserves2007–08Liverpool ReservesAston Villa ReservesLiverpool Reserves2008–09Sunderland ReservesAston Villa ReservesAston Villa Reserves2009–10Manchester United ReservesAston Villa ReservesManchester United Reserves2010–11Blackburn Rovers ReservesChelsea ReservesChelsea Reserves2011–12Manchester United ReservesAston Villa ReservesManchester United Reserves
From 2004-05 the League instigated a play-off between the champions of the two sections. In that first season Northern Champions Manchester United Reserves beat Southern Champions Charlton Athletic Reserves 4–2 at The Valley. In the 2005–06 play-off, held at Old Trafford, Manchester United Reserves beat Tottenham Hotspur Reserves 2–0. The 2007 final, held at the Madejski Stadium, Reading beat Bolton 2–0. Liverpool Reserves beat Aston Villa Reserves 3–0 in the 2008 final at Anfield. Aston Villa reached the final again next season and beat Sunderland 3–1 at Villa Park. In the 2009–10 play-off match, held again at Old Trafford, Manchester United beat Aston Villa 3–2 in a penalty shoot-out after the game ended 3–3. In the 2010–11 playoff match, Chelsea defeated Blackburn 5–4 in a penalty shoot-out, after the game ended 1–1 at Stamford Bridge. In the 2011–12 season finale held at Old Trafford, Manchester United Reserves beat Aston Villa Reserves 3–1 on penalties after the game ended 0–0 in normal time.
Most successful clubs TeamRegionaltitlesNationaltitlesManchester United Reserves54Aston Villa Reserves51Liverpool Reserves21Chelsea Reserves11Reading Reserves11Sunderland Reserves20Derby County Reserves20Charlton Athletic Reserves20Blackburn Rovers Reserves10Tottenham Hotspur Reserves10Bolton Wanderers Reserves10Everton Reserves10Ipswich Town Reserves10Watford Reserves10
See also Premier Academy League Premier League The Central League The Football Combination
References
External links Current league tables;(North) (South) Fixtures and results (North) (South) Bulletins