# 2013–14 Professional U21 Development League

The 2013–14 Professional U21 Development League (League 1 referred to as the Barclays Under 21 Premier League for sponsorship reasons) was the second season of the Professional Development League system.
There were 42 participating teams in the 2013–14 Professional U21 Development Leagues; 22 in League 1, and 20 in League 2.
League 1 had a new format, with the three groups system being abandoned in favour of a single league system with the teams finishing in the top four positions qualifying for a playoff stage.

## League 1
### League stage

Each team played twenty one fixtures during this stage. Having played each other once, either home or away, the top four teams in the table progressed to the knockout stage to determine the overall winner.
Starting with the 2014–15 season, the U21 Premier League was divided into two divisions. This means that the top 11 sides in the 2013–14 league stage qualify for the new Division 1, with the bottom 11 sides entering Division 2.
On 14 May, Chelsea defeated Manchester United in the final to claim the Under-21 Premier League title. The top 8 teams in the final standings of the league stage qualified for the inaugural 2014–15 edition of the Premier League International Cup.

#### National Division
##### Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Chelsea U21s (Q) | 21 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 49 | 26 | +23 | 44 | Qualification for Knockout Stage |
| 2 | Liverpool U21s (Q) | 21 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 55 | 30 | +25 | 42 | Qualification for Knockout Stage |
| 3 | Manchester United U21s (Q) | 21 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 34 | 18 | +16 | 39 | Qualification for Knockout Stage |
| 4 | Manchester City EDS (Q) | 21 | 12 | 2 | 7 | 50 | 28 | +22 | 38 | Qualification for Knockout Stage |
| 5 | Fulham U21s | 21 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 38 | 30 | +8 | 38 | |
| 6 | Leicester City U21s | 21 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 37 | 30 | +7 | 37 | |
| 7 | Southampton U21s | 21 | 11 | 3 | 7 | 35 | 30 | +5 | 36 | |
| 8 | Sunderland U21s | 21 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 34 | 28 | +6 | 35 | |
| 9 | West Ham United U21s | 21 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 32 | 31 | +1 | 33 | |
| 10 | Norwich City U21s | 21 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 34 | 29 | +5 | 31 | |
| 11 | Everton U21s | 21 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 28 | 29 | −1 | 30 | |
| 12 | Tottenham Hotspur U21s | 21 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 40 | 43 | −3 | 28 | |
| 13 | Bolton Wanderers U21s (R) | 21 | 8 | 3 | 10 | 40 | 47 | −7 | 27 | Relegation to 2014–15 U21 Premier League Division 2 |
| 14 | Arsenal U21s (R) | 21 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 34 | 39 | −5 | 26 | Relegation to 2014–15 U21 Premier League Division 2 |
| 15 | Aston Villa U21s (R) | 21 | 8 | 2 | 11 | 35 | 43 | −8 | 26 | Relegation to 2014–15 U21 Premier League Division 2 |
| 16 | West Bromwich Albion U21s (R) | 21 | 8 | 1 | 12 | 33 | 39 | −6 | 25 | Relegation to 2014–15 U21 Premier League Division 2 |
| 17 | Reading U21s (R) | 21 | 7 | 3 | 11 | 34 | 40 | −6 | 24 | Relegation to 2014–15 U21 Premier League Division 2 |
| 18 | Stoke City U21s (R) | 21 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 26 | 33 | −7 | 22 | Relegation to 2014–15 U21 Premier League Division 2 |
| 19 | Wolverhampton Wanderers U21s (R) | 21 | 6 | 2 | 13 | 24 | 37 | −13 | 20 | Relegation to 2014–15 U21 Premier League Division 2 |
| 20 | Middlesbrough U21s (R) | 21 | 6 | 2 | 13 | 26 | 40 | −14 | 20 | Relegation to 2014–15 U21 Premier League Division 2 |
| 21 | Newcastle United U21s (R) | 21 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 35 | 54 | −19 | 17 | Relegation to 2014–15 U21 Premier League Division 2 |
| 22 | Blackburn Rovers U21s (R) | 21 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 47 | −29 | 14 | Relegation to 2014–15 U21 Premier League Division 2 |

##### Results

| Home \ Away | ARS | AST | BLB | BOL | CHE | EVE | FUL | LEI | LIV | MNC | MNU | MID | NEW | NOR | REA | SOT | STO | SUN | TOT | WBA | WHU | WOL |
| Arsenal U21s | | 4–2 | | | 1–2 | | | 0–4 | 2–4 | 4–3 | 1–1 | | | | | 0–0 | | 1–5 | | 1–0 | 5–3 | 2–1 |
| Aston Villa U21s | | | 4–2 | | 2–4 | | 3–5 | 3–4 | | | | | 6–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | | | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | | |
| Blackburn Rovers U21s | 0–3 | | | | | 1–2 | | | | 0–6 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–5 | 2–1 | | 1–1 | | 2–2 | | | 3–3 |
| Bolton Wanderers U21s | 2–1 | 3–2 | 3–0 | | 0–5 | 2–3 | 1–3 | | | | | 1–1 | | | | 0–2 | | | | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 |
| Chelsea U21s | | | 1–0 | | | | | 5–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | | 1–0 | | 2–0 | 2–2 | | | | 2–4 | 4–2 | 3–3 | |
| Everton U21s | 2–1 | 0–1 | | | 3–2 | | | | 1–1 | | 0–0 | 0–1 | | | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | | | 1–2 | |
| Fulham U21s | 0–1 | | 3–0 | | 1–2 | 2–1 | | 1–3 | 2–1 | | | 1–0 | 2–2 | | | | | | 5–3 | | 1–0 | 4–4 |
| Leicester City U21s | | | 1–0 | 0–4 | | 1–1 | | | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–1 | | | | 4–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–3 | | | | |
| Liverpool U21s | | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | | | | | | | | | 5–2 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 3–4 | | 5–2 | 5–0 | | | 4–0 |
| Manchester City EDS | | 3–0 | | 4–0 | | 3–0 | 1–2 | | 0–2 | | | 4–1 | | | | 1–2 | 1–0 | 6–2 | | | | 3–1 |
| Manchester United U21s | | 3–0 | | 4–1 | 0–0 | | 2–2 | | 2–4 | 1–2 | | 0–0 | | 2–2 | | | 0–1 | 1–0 | | | 2–1 | |
| Middlesbrough U21s | 3–1 | 0–2 | | | | | | 1–3 | 3–4 | | | | 4–3 | | 0–3 | 3–1 | 1–2 | | 0–1 | | | 0–2 |
| Newcastle United U21s | 1–3 | | | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | | 0–2 | | 0–0 | 1–0 | | | 4–1 | | | 2–4 | | | | 4–5 | 3–1 |
| Norwich City U21s | 2–2 | | | 5–1 | | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | | 0–3 | | 3–1 | | | | | 4–1 | 3–0 | | 0–1 | | |
| Reading U21s | 2–1 | | | 4–1 | | | 1–2 | | | 1–2 | 2–3 | | 4–2 | 1–1 | | 3–2 | | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–4 | 0–2 | |
| Southampton U21s | | 3–1 | 2–2 | | 1–4 | | 3–0 | | | | 1–2 | | 3–2 | 1–1 | | | | 0–3 | 1–0 | | | 3–0 |
| Stoke City U21s | 2–2 | 1–3 | | 2–6 | 0–3 | | 0–0 | | 0–1 | | | | | | 2–0 | 0–1 | | | 2–0 | 5–1 | 0–1 | |
| Sunderland U21s | | | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | | 1–0 | | | | | 3–2 | 2–0 | | | | 1–1 | | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | |
| Tottenham Hotspur U21s | 2–0 | | | 2–5 | | 0–0 | | 1–1 | | 6–3 | 0–1 | | 4–1 | 1–2 | 4–2 | | | | | 5–2 | | |
| West Bromwich Albion U21s | | | 1–0 | | | 5–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 3–4 | | | 1–3 | | | | | | 0–1 |
| West Ham United U21s | | 3–0 | 0–1 | | | | | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | | 2–1 | | 2–0 | | 1–0 | | | 2–3 | 0–3 | | |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers U21s | | 0–2 | | | 1–2 | 0–2 | | 0–1 | | | 0–3 | | | 0–1 | 4–0 | | 2–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | | 0–2 | |

### Knockout stage
#### Final
## League 2

20 Teams competed this season. This is 3 fewer than last season. Crystal Palace joined this season after dropping their academy to Category Two Status, joining the South Division. Barnet dropped out of the league after one season, Colchester United briefly dropped to Category Three Academy and would return the next season, Wigan Athletic would also drop to Category Three Academy, while Leicester City joined the Premier League 2 as a Category One Academy after one season on July 4.

### League stage

Having played each other home and away, the top two teams from each division progressed to the knockout stage to determine the overall winner.

#### North Division
##### Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Huddersfield Town U21s | 18 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 41 | 21 | +20 | 42 | Knockout stage |
| 2 | Crewe Alexandra U21s | 18 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 40 | 22 | +18 | 32 | Knockout stage |
| 3 | Sheffield United U21s | 18 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 30 | 23 | +7 | 32 | |
| 4 | Birmingham City U21s | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 24 | 24 | 0 | 26 | |
| 5 | Derby County U21s | 18 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 26 | 24 | +2 | 25 | |
| 6 | Leeds United U21s | 18 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 25 | 29 | −4 | 23 | |
| 7 | Barnsley U21s | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 29 | 33 | −4 | 20 | |
| 8 | Nottingham Forest U21s | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 24 | 29 | −5 | 20 | |
| 9 | Sheffield Wednesday U21s | 18 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 25 | 42 | −17 | 15 | |
| 10 | Coventry City U21s | 18 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 20 | 37 | −17 | 8 | |

##### Results

| Home \ Away | BAR | BIR | COV | CRE | DER | HUD | LEE | NOT | SHE | SHW |
| Barnsley U21s | | 4–1 | 0–1 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 0–1 |
| Birmingham City U21s | 4–0 | | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Coventry City U21s | 2–2 | 1–2 | | 1–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 |
| Crewe Alexandra U21s | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | | 2–1 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 |
| Derby County U21s | 4–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 |
| Huddersfield Town U21s | 3–0 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | | 2–1 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 4–1 |
| Leeds United U21s | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | | 5–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
| Nottingham Forest U21s | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 | | 0–0 | 3–0 |
| Sheffield United U21s | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–5 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | | 4–0 |
| Sheffield Wednesday U21s | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 0–0 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 1–2 | |

#### South Division
##### Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Cardiff City U21s | 18 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 29 | 22 | +7 | 36 | Knockout stage |
| 2 | Queens Park Rangers U21s | 18 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 33 | 26 | +7 | 31 | Knockout stage |
| 3 | Crystal Palace U21s | 18 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 37 | 25 | +12 | 30 | |
| 4 | Bristol City U21s | 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 34 | 23 | +11 | 27 | |
| 5 | Millwall U21s | 18 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 26 | 31 | −5 | 24 | |
| 6 | Charlton Athletic U21s | 18 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 25 | 25 | 0 | 23 | |
| 7 | Brighton & Hove Albion U21s | 18 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 26 | 27 | −1 | 23 | |
| 8 | Swansea City U21s | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 23 | 24 | −1 | 22 | |
| 9 | Brentford U21s | 18 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 25 | 40 | −15 | 18 | |
| 10 | Ipswich Town U21s | 18 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 18 | 33 | −15 | 14 | |

##### Results

| Home \ Away | BRE | B&HA | BRI | CAR | CHA | CPA | IPS | MIL | QPR | SWA |
| Brentford U21s | | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–2 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion U21s | 1–1 | | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 |
| Bristol City U21s | 2–1 | 5–2 | | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–1 |
| Cardiff City U21s | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 |
| Charlton Athletic U21s | 6–3 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 5–2 | | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| Crystal Palace U21s | 6–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 |
| Ipswich Town U21s | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| Millwall U21s | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | | 4–2 | 2–1 |
| Queens Park Rangers U21s | 4–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 3–4 | 2–0 | 3–1 | | 2–1 |
| Swansea City U21s | 2–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | |