# 2023–24 Professional U21 Development League

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

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
| 1 | Tottenham Hotspur U21s (C) | 20 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 54 | 28 | +26 | 46 | Qualification to the Elimination Playoffs and Premier League International Cup |
| 2 | West Ham United U21s | 20 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 53 | 29 | +24 | 42 | Qualification to the Elimination Playoffs and Premier League International Cup |
| 3 | Fulham U21s | 20 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 52 | 30 | +22 | 38 | Qualification to the Elimination Playoffs and Premier League International Cup |
| 4 | Chelsea U21s | 20 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 53 | 32 | +21 | 36 | Qualification to the Elimination Playoffs and Premier League International Cup |
| 5 | Arsenal U21s | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 47 | 33 | +14 | 36 | Qualification to the Elimination Playoffs and Premier League International Cup |
| 6 | Reading U21s | 20 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 35 | 35 | 0 | 35 | Qualification to the Elimination Playoffs and Premier League International Cup |
| 7 | Sunderland U21s | 20 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 45 | 32 | +13 | 34 | Qualification to the Elimination Playoffs and Premier League International Cup |
| 8 | Liverpool U21s | 20 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 34 | 27 | +7 | 33 | Qualification to the Elimination Playoffs and Premier League International Cup |
| 9 | Crystal Palace U21s | 20 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 49 | 42 | +7 | 31 | Qualification to the Elimination Playoffs and Premier League International Cup |
| 10 | Wolverhampton Wanderers U21s | 20 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 39 | 36 | +3 | 31 | Qualification to the Elimination Playoffs and Premier League International Cup |
| 11 | Middlesbrough U21s | 20 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 38 | 39 | −1 | 31 | Qualification to the Elimination Playoffs and Premier League International Cup |
| 12 | Manchester United U21s | 20 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 56 | 43 | +13 | 29 | Qualification to the Elimination Playoffs and Premier League International Cup |
| 13 | Brighton & Hove Albion U21s | 20 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 35 | 38 | −3 | 29 | Qualification to the Elimination Playoffs |
| 14 | Nottingham Forest U21s | 20 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 30 | 33 | −3 | 28 | Qualification to the Elimination Playoffs |
| 15 | Blackburn Rovers U21s | 20 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 41 | 58 | −17 | 27 | Qualification to the Elimination Playoffs |
| 16 | Aston Villa U21s | 20 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 40 | 48 | −8 | 25 | Qualification to the Elimination Playoffs |
| 17 | Southampton U21s | 20 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 43 | 47 | −4 | 24 | |
| 18 | Norwich City U21s | 20 | 7 | 2 | 11 | 43 | 42 | +1 | 23 | |
| 19 | Stoke City U21s | 20 | 7 | 2 | 11 | 38 | 55 | −17 | 23 | |
| 20 | Leicester City U21s | 20 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 33 | 41 | −8 | 20 | |
| 21 | West Bromwich Albion U21s | 20 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 24 | 36 | −12 | 19 | |
| 22 | Newcastle United U21s | 20 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 29 | 46 | −17 | 19 | |
| 23 | Manchester City U21s | 20 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 32 | 50 | −18 | 18 | |
| 24 | Leeds United U21s | 20 | 5 | 3 | 12 | 28 | 48 | −20 | 18 | |
| 25 | Everton U21s | 20 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 25 | 40 | −15 | 17 | |
| 26 | Derby County U21s | 20 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 30 | 38 | −8 | 16 | |

### Results

| Home \ Away | ARS | AVL | BLB | BHA | CHE | CRY | DER | EVE | FUL | LEE | LEI | LIV | MNC | MNU | MID | NEW | NOR | NFO | REA | SOU | STK | SUN | TOT | WBA | WHU | WOL |
| Arsenal U21 | — | 3–5 | — | 6–3 | — | — | — | — | — | 1–1 | 4–1 | — | 3–3 | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | 3–0 | 4–2 | — | — | 1–1 | — | 3–0 | — |
| Aston Villa U21 | — | — | — | — | 0–4 | — | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–2 | — | — | — | 4–0 | — | 1–4 | — | — | — | 2–2 | 2–3 | — | 0–3 | — | — |
| Blackburn Rovers U21 | 2–2 | 2–3 | — | — | — | 3–3 | — | — | — | — | 4–1 | 1–0 | — | 2–5 | — | 2–1 | — | — | — | — | 3–6 | 0–4 | — | — | 1–3 | — |
| Brighton & Hove Albion U21 | — | 2–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2–4 | 0–0 | 4–2 | — | — | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–3 | — | — | — | — | 2–1 | 1–4 | — |
| Chelsea U21 | 2–4 | — | 6–1 | 2–3 | — | — | — | — | 2–2 | — | 1–1 | — | — | 3–2 | — | — | — | 2–3 | 3–2 | 2–0 | — | — | — | 3–0 | — | — |
| Crystal Palace U21 | — | 4–2 | — | 2–1 | 2–2 | — | — | 0–0 | 2–5 | — | — | 2–4 | — | 3–2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5–0 | 3–0 | 1–5 | — |
| Derby County U21 | — | — | 1–3 | 2–3 | — | — | — | 3–0 | — | — | — | 1–1 | 4–2 | — | — | — | — | 0–1 | 5–1 | — | 1–2 | — | 0–2 | — | — | 1–2 |
| Everton U21 | 1–1 | — | 2–3 | 0–4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4–3 | — | 1–1 | — | — | — | 2–1 | 1–2 | — | 5–0 | — | — | — | 1–3 | — | 0–2 |
| Fulham U21 | — | — | 1–2 | 3–0 | — | — | 2–1 | — | — | — | 1–3 | — | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | — | — | — | 7–1 | 5–1 | — | — | 0–2 | — | — | — |
| Leeds United U21 | — | — | — | — | 0–2 | 1–7 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 3–5 | — | — | 2–2 | — | — | — | — | 0–2 | — | — | — | 2–1 | 1–3 | — | — | 2–5 | — |
| Leicester City U21 | — | — | — | — | — | 1–1 | 2–1 | — | — | 2–0 | — | — | 1–3 | — | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–3 | — | — | 1–2 | 3–0 | — | — | — | — | 1–3 |
| Liverpool U21 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — | — | 2–1 | — | — | 4–0 | 2–0 | — | — | — | 2–0 | — | 1–4 | — | — | — | — | — | 3–1 | — | — | — | 0–4 | 2–0 |
| Manchester City U21 | — | 4–4 | — | — | 1–2 | 0–3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0–6 | 2–0 | — | — | — | 2–2 | 0–5 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–3 |
| Manchester United U21 | 2–4 | — | — | 1–1 | — | — | 2–4 | 3–1 | — | 1–2 | — | 0–3 | 2–1 | — | — | 3–2 | 4–2 | — | — | — | 10–1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Middlesbrough U21 | — | — | — | — | 1–3 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 2–2 | — | — | — | — | — | 3–2 | — | 3–2 | — | — | — | — | 4–1 | — | 1–2 | 0–1 | — | 3–2 |
| Newcastle United U21 | — | 0–1 | — | — | 1–7 | — | — | 1–0 | 1–3 | 0–2 | — | 1–2 | 0–4 | — | — | — | — | 1–1 | — | 5–3 | — | — | — | 3–2 | — | — |
| Norwich City U21 | — | — | 4–0 | — | 3–2 | — | — | — | 3–3 | — | — | — | — | — | 2–3 | — | — | 2–2 | — | 0–2 | — | — | 3–4 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 3–4 |
| Nottingham Forest U21 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–5 | — | — | 4–3 | — | — | — | 4–0 | — | — | — | 0–0 | 2–2 | — | — | — | 0–0 | — | — | 0–5 | — | — | — | 2–2 |
| Reading U21s | — | — | 7–2 | — | — | 2–0 | — | — | — | 3–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | — | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | — | — | — | — | 2–1 | — | — | — | — |
| Southampton U21 | — | 4–2 | — | — | — | 4–0 | 2–1 | — | — | — | — | 0–3 | — | 3–6 | — | — | — | 1–1 | 6–0 | — | 5–1 | 1–2 | 2–3 | — | — | — |
| Stoke City U21 | 2–2 | — | — | 4–3 | — | 1–3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5–1 | — | — | 1–2 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 0–2 | — | — | — | 0–2 | — | — | 2–1 |
| Sunderland U21 | 1–2 | — | — | 1–1 | — | — | 3–1 | — | — | — | 4–2 | 2–1 | — | 5–5 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | — | — | — | — | — | 2–4 | — | — | — |
| Tottenham Hotspur U21 | — | 5–3 | 4–0 | — | 4–2 | — | — | 1–2 | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | 2–2 | — | 4–1 | — | — | 2–2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1–1 | 5–1 |
| West Bromwich Albion U21 | 3–0 | — | 3–3 | — | — | — | 0–1 | — | 0–3 | 4–2 | — | — | — | 0–3 | — | — | — | — | 0–0 | 1–1 | — | 0–0 | — | — | 2–4 | — |
| West Ham United U21 | — | — | — | — | 0–2 | — | 3–2 | 3–1 | 0–3 | — | 1–3 | — | — | — | 5–0 | — | — | 3–1 | — | 3–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | — | — | — | — |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers U21 | 2–1 | — | 1–2 | 1–1 | — | 3–2 | — | — | 2–3 | 2–0 | — | — | — | — | — | 2–2 | — | — | — | 2–1 | — | 1–2 | — | 3–0 | — | — |
* ↑ Originally scheduled to be played on 1 December 2023, the Aston Villa match against Stoke City was postponed due to a frozen pitch.
* ↑ Originally scheduled to be played on 9 February 2024 and then 29 March 2024, the Crystal Palace matches against Tottenham Hotspur were both postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
* ↑ Originally scheduled to be played on 15 January 2024, the Leeds United match against Everton was postponed due to a frozen pitch.
* ↑ The match between Leicester City and Crystal Palace was abandoned after 86 minutes due to an injury to Crystal Palace player Joe Sheridan. The Premier League confirmed that the result will stand.
* ↑ On 3 November, the Leicester City match against Newcastle United was abandoned with the score at 2–2.
* ↑ Originally scheduled to be played on 9 February 2024, the Middlesbrough match against Newcastle United was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
* ↑ Originally scheduled to be played on 15 January 2024, the Newcastle United match against Aston Villa was postponed due to a frozen pitch.
* ↑ Originally scheduled to be played on 9 February 2024, the Nottingham Forest match against Reading was postponed. The rescheduled game on 22 April 2024 was abandoned after an injury to Nottingham Forest player Ben Perry.
* ↑ Originally scheduled to be played on 9 February 2024, the Southampton match against Manchester United was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
* ↑ Originally scheduled to be played on 9 February 2024, the Sunderland match against Leicester City was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
* ↑ Originally scheduled to be played on 2 December 2023, the Tottenham Hotspur match against Manchester United was postponed due to a frozen pitch.
* ↑ Originally scheduled to be played on 1 December 2023, the West Bromwich Albion match against Arsenal was postponed due to a frozen pitch.

### Elimination Playoffs

| Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Tottenham Hotspur U21s | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Aston Villa U21s | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Aston Villa U21s | 3 | 1 | Tottenham Hotspur U21s | 3 (5) | | | | | | | |
| | | | 8 | Liverpool U21s | 3 (4) | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Liverpool U21s | 3 | 8 | Liverpool U21s | 3 (4) | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Crystal Palace U21s | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Crystal Palace U21s | 2 | | | | 1 | Tottenham Hotspur U21s | 2 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 4 | Chelsea U21s | 1 | | | | |
| 5 | Arsenal U21s | 6 | | | | | | | 4 | Chelsea U21s | 1 | | | | |
| 12 | Manchester United U21s | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Manchester United U21s | 2 | 5 | Arsenal U21s | 2 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Chelsea U21s | 3 | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Chelsea U21s | 5 | 4 | Chelsea U21s | 3 | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Brighton & Hove Albion U21s | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Brighton & Hove Albion U21s | 4 | | | | | | | | 1 | Tottenham Hotspur U21s | 3 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 7 | Sunderland U21s | 1 |
| 6 | Reading U21s | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | Sunderland U21s | 1 |
| 11 | Middlesbrough U21s | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Middlesbrough U21s | 0 | 6 | Reading U21s | 3 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 14 | Nottingham Forest U21s | 1 | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Fulham U21s | 0 | 14 | Nottingham Forest U21s | 1 | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Nottingham Forest U21s | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Nottingham Forest U21s | 2 | | | | 6 | Reading U21s | 3 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 7 | Sunderland U21s | 4 | | | | |
| 7 | Sunderland U21s | 4 | | | | | | | 7 | Sunderland U21s | 4 | | | | |
| 10 | Wolverhampton Wanderers U21s | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Wolverhampton Wanderers U21s | 1 | 7 | Sunderland U21s | 3 (5) | | | | | | | |
| | | | 2 | West Ham United U21s | 3 (3) | | | | | | | |
| 2 | West Ham United U21s | 4 | 2 | West Ham United U21s | 3 (3) | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Blackburn Rovers U21s | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Final
## 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

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Sheffield United U21s | 30 | 19 | 6 | 5 | 83 | 34 | +49 | 63 | Qualification for Knock-out stage |
| 2 | Birmingham City U21s | 30 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 59 | 36 | +23 | 55 | Qualification for Knock-out stage |
| 3 | Sheffield Wednesday U21s | 30 | 16 | 6 | 8 | 58 | 34 | +24 | 54 | |
| 4 | Barnsley U21s | 30 | 17 | 3 | 10 | 65 | 44 | +21 | 54 | |
| 5 | Hull City U21s | 30 | 14 | 3 | 13 | 59 | 63 | −4 | 45 | |
| 6 | Burnley U21s | 30 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 53 | 57 | −4 | 42 | |
| 7 | Fleetwood Town U21s | 30 | 13 | 3 | 14 | 48 | 58 | −10 | 42 | |
| 8 | Peterborough United U21s | 30 | 7 | 6 | 17 | 47 | 73 | −26 | 27 | |
| 9 | Wigan Athletic U21s | 30 | 7 | 5 | 18 | 44 | 66 | −22 | 26 | |
| 10 | Coventry City U21s | 30 | 7 | 5 | 18 | 41 | 67 | −26 | 26 | |
| 11 | Crewe Alexandra U21s | 30 | 5 | 4 | 21 | 37 | 90 | −53 | 19 | |

#### South Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Millwall U21s | 29 | 17 | 8 | 4 | 80 | 45 | +35 | 59 | Qualification for Knock-out stage |
| 2 | Swansea City U21s | 29 | 16 | 3 | 10 | 72 | 49 | +23 | 51 | Qualification for Knock-out stage |
| 3 | AFC Bournemouth U21s | 29 | 16 | 3 | 10 | 60 | 45 | +15 | 51 | |
| 4 | Queens Park Rangers U21s | 29 | 14 | 7 | 8 | 66 | 43 | +23 | 49 | |
| 5 | Ipswich Town U21s | 29 | 14 | 4 | 11 | 63 | 59 | +4 | 46 | |
| 6 | Watford U21s | 29 | 10 | 7 | 12 | 45 | 66 | −21 | 37 | |
| 7 | Bristol City U21s | 29 | 10 | 5 | 14 | 43 | 63 | −20 | 35 | |
| 8 | Charlton Athletic U21s | 29 | 9 | 4 | 16 | 63 | 64 | −1 | 31 | |
| 9 | Cardiff City U21s | 29 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 55 | 66 | −11 | 31 | |
| 10 | Colchester United U21s | 29 | 9 | 4 | 16 | 48 | 67 | −19 | 31 | |

### Knock-out stage

Semi-finals
Professional Development League National Final