2008–09 Premier Academy League Explained

Winners:Arsenal
Biggest Home Win:Ipswich Town 7 – 0 Birmingham City
(25 April)
Highest Scoring:Tottenham Hotspur 6 – 6 Coventry City
(22 November)
Total Goals:1975
Average Goals:3.51
Longest Wins:11, Sunderland
(1 November – 14 March)
Longest Losses:11, Milton Keynes Dons
(1 November – 28 February)
Prevseason:2007–08
Nextseason:2009–10

The 2008–09 Premier Academy League Under–18 season was the twelfth edition since the establishment of The Premier Academy League, and the fifth under the current make-up. The first matches of the season were played on 23 August 2008, and the season ended on 18 May 2009.

All teams played the other teams in their group twice and played 10 inter-group fixtures, producing 28 games a season. Eight of the inter-group games were played against teams in their 'paired group' (i.e. A–B and C–D are the paired groups), whilst the remaining two games comprise one game against a team in each of the two remaining groups. Winners of each group qualified for play-offs.

Arsenal became the first group winners by leading Crystal Palace 20 points with 6 games left in Group A after a 1–0 win against Watford on 21 March 2009. Group C champions Manchester City set up tie with Arsenal in the play-off the following week by recording a 23–game unbeaten run which last to 26 games. Sunderland secured top spot in Group D after achieving the 14th win in last 15 games on 31 March. These 3 teams all clinched the group title for a third successive season. Tottenham Hotspur claimed the last play-off spot after beating Watford 2–1 on 6 May.

Arsenal reached the 2009 Premier Academy League Play-off Final with a 2–1 victory over Manchester City at the City of Manchester Stadium on 8 May. Tottenham Hotspur set up clash with Arsenal after defeating Sunderland 2–1 at the Stadium of Light on 13 May.

On 17 May, Arsenal were crowned the 2008–09 Premier Academy League Champions after a 1–0 win against Tottenham Hotspur in the Play-off Final at White Hart Lane, with a goal from Rhys Murphy. It is Arsenal's first title since the Premier Academy League reformed as an under–18 competition.

League tables

Academy Group A

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Arsenal U18s (C)
Norwich City U18s
Ipswich Town U18s
Crystal Palace U18s
West Ham United U18s
Portsmouth U18s
Fulham U18s
Charlton Athletic U18s

Academy Group B

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Tottenham Hotspur U18s (C)
Leicester City U18s
Coventry City U18s
Reading U18s
Bristol City U18s
Cardiff City U18s
Watford U18s
Birmingham City U18s
Milton Keynes Dons U18s

Academy Group C

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Manchester City U18s (C)
Manchester United U18s
West Bromwich Albion U18s
Liverpool U18s
Everton U18s
Stoke City U18s
Wolverhampton Wanderers U18s
Crewe Alexandra U18s
Blackburn Rovers U18s
Bolton Wanderers U18s

Academy Group D

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Sunderland U18s (C)
Newcastle United U18s
Derby County U18s
Sheffield United U18s
Nottingham Forest U18s
Leeds United U18s
Barnsley U18s
Sheffield Wednesday U18s
Huddersfield Town U18s
Middlesbrough U18s
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd goal difference; 3rd goals scored
Pos = Position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
C = Champions

Play-off semi-finals

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Records

See also

External links

Match reports

width=25%Group Awidth=25%Group Bwidth=25%Group Cwidth=25%Group D