The 2022–23 Professional U21 Development League is the 11th season of the Professional Development League system.
The Premier League 2 reverted back to a U21 competition ahead of the 2022–23 season.[1] Burnley, Birmingham City and Reading left the league after failing to retain category one academy status.[2] [3] [4]
For the 2022–23 season onwards, player eligibility was restricted to under-21 players (reduced from under-23) born after 1 January 2001. To help with the transition, teams were allowed up to five over-age outfield players (up from three) and one over-age goalkeeper for the 2022-23 season.
| Competition: | Premier League 2 |
| Season: | 2022–23 |
| Winners: | Manchester City U21s Division 2 Southampton U21s |
| Promoted: | Southampton U21s Leeds United U21s |
| League Topscorer: | Carlos Borges (21 goals) |
| Biggest Home Win: | (30 October 2022) |
| Biggest Away Win: | (10 October 2022) |
| Highest Scoring: | (9 January 2023) Record |
| Matches: | 295 |
| Matches Footnote: | (292 RS, 3 PO) |
| Total Goals: | 1098 |
| Total Goals Footnote: | (1,089 RS, 9 PO) |
| Longest Wins: | 4 Matches Manchester City U21s |
| Longest Losses: | 12 matches Derby County U21s (5 August 2022-13 February 2023) |
| Highest Attendance: | 12,546 (15 May 2023) Play-Off Final |
| Lowest Attendance: | 30 (29 October 2022) |
| Nextseason: | 2023–24 |
The date for semi-finals is confirmed as 8 May 2023 at 19:00.[5] [6]
The date for final is confirmed as 15 May 2023 at 19:00.[7]
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| Competition: | U21 Professional Development League |
| Season: | 2022–23 |
| League Topscorer: | Louie Marsh (23 Goals) |
| Biggest Home Win: | (10 May 2023) |
| Biggest Away Win: | (31 October 2022) (1 November 2022) |
| Highest Scoring: | (10 May 2023) |
| Matches: | 283 |
| Matches Footnote: | (280 RS, 3 PO) |
| Total Goals: | 1001 |
| Total Goals Footnote: | (987 RS, 14 PO) |
| Longest Unbeaten: | 13 Matches Sheffield United U21s |
| Highest Attendance: | 2,076 Millwall U21s 2–1 Sheffield United U21s (22 May 2023) |
| Nextseason: | 2023–24 |
The Professional Development League 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 28 games being played by both divisions. 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. Coventry City U21s are the defending champions.
20 Teams competed in the league this season, 3 more than the previous season. Burnley U21s and Birmingham City U21s returned to the league after failing to retain Category One Academy status after 2 seasons for Burnley U21s, and 1 season for Birmingham City U21s. Reading U21s joined after temporarily dropping to Category Two status after 10 seasons in the Premier League 2.[8] [9] [10]
Semi-finals----
Professional Development League National Final