- Sep 15, 2007
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Details of the new Under 21 Premier League (replacing the old Reserve League) and re-branded under 18 leagues (and under 16 leagues) are starting to appear. These leagues will all be played on a national basis replacing the old regional structure.
There will be 23 teams in total in each, made up of 17 Premier League teams (excluding Swansea, QPR, Wigan who did not achieve Tier 1 Academy status), plus Blackburn, Bolton, Watford, Crystal Palace, Middlesbrough and Wolves.
These 23 teams are divided into 3 groups :
Group A : Arsenal, Blackburn, Bolton, Everton, Norwich, Reading, West Brom and West Ham.
Group B : Fulham, Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Crystal Palace and Wolves
Group C : Newcastle, Tottenham, Southampton, Stoke, Man Utd, Watford, Sunderland and Aston Villa.
Each team in the group will play the others home and away before Christmas to determine their League placing. The top 2 in each group along with the two best third placed teams in the groups go through to an Elite Round in January, other teams play those around same point totals in Tier 2/3.
In each case case player eligibility will almost certainly follow the standard definition of being under 15/18/21 on the 1 January in the year that the season starts (eg under 16/18/21 on 1 January 2012 for 2012/13 season). However provision has been made for three outfield over-age players and one goalkeeper, at least for under 21 League.
Newcastle are the only club inn Spurs group to have released fixture dates that I can find http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20120731/youth-and-second-string-fixtures-released_2281670_2866727 and as you will see the fixture dates seem to closely marry Premiership fixture dates where possible.
No doubt Spurs OS will update us in due course with details of how the leagues work, fixtures, player eligibility etc - and further details may also appear before then so will try to update this thread when they do !
There will be 23 teams in total in each, made up of 17 Premier League teams (excluding Swansea, QPR, Wigan who did not achieve Tier 1 Academy status), plus Blackburn, Bolton, Watford, Crystal Palace, Middlesbrough and Wolves.
These 23 teams are divided into 3 groups :
Group A : Arsenal, Blackburn, Bolton, Everton, Norwich, Reading, West Brom and West Ham.
Group B : Fulham, Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Crystal Palace and Wolves
Group C : Newcastle, Tottenham, Southampton, Stoke, Man Utd, Watford, Sunderland and Aston Villa.
Each team in the group will play the others home and away before Christmas to determine their League placing. The top 2 in each group along with the two best third placed teams in the groups go through to an Elite Round in January, other teams play those around same point totals in Tier 2/3.
In each case case player eligibility will almost certainly follow the standard definition of being under 15/18/21 on the 1 January in the year that the season starts (eg under 16/18/21 on 1 January 2012 for 2012/13 season). However provision has been made for three outfield over-age players and one goalkeeper, at least for under 21 League.
Newcastle are the only club inn Spurs group to have released fixture dates that I can find http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20120731/youth-and-second-string-fixtures-released_2281670_2866727 and as you will see the fixture dates seem to closely marry Premiership fixture dates where possible.
No doubt Spurs OS will update us in due course with details of how the leagues work, fixtures, player eligibility etc - and further details may also appear before then so will try to update this thread when they do !