SPFL Development League
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox football league
| logo =
| pixels = 160
| country = Scotland
| founded = {{start date and age|1998}}
(as Scottish Premier under-18 League)
| divisions = 1
| teams = 17
| relegation =
| levels = 1
| domest_cup = Scottish Youth Cup
| champions = Hibernian
| season = 2017–18
}}
The SPFL Development League was the top level of youth football in Scotland, which was contested in various formats between 1998 and 2018.
History
A youth league was founded as the Scottish Premier under-18 League in 1998. Clubs fielded under-18 teams, with the Scottish Premier Reserve League originally being an under-21 league. The competition was changed in 2003 when it became the Scottish Premier under-19 League. The teams played 22 matches rather than 30.
For the 2012–13 season, the competition changed again, this time to the Scottish Premier under-20 league, there were 15 teams, and teams played 28 matches per season.{{cite news|url=http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/aberdeen/303285-spl-to-create-under-20-league/|title=SPL to create Under-20 league|date=12 April 2012|publisher=STV Sport|access-date=1 August 2012}} With the inception of the Scottish Professional Football League for the 2013–14 season, the league become the SPFL U20 League and the number of teams increased to 16.{{cite web|url=http://spfl.co.uk/reserve-and-youth/|title=U20 League fixtures |work=spfl.co.uk |publisher=SPFL |access-date=6 August 2013|date=6 August 2013}} Teams were allowed to field two over-age outfield players and an overage goalkeeper.{{cite news |url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/reserve-league-football-could-return-1083862 |title=Reserve league football could return as part of SFA plan to revamp Scottish game |work=Daily Record |first=Gordon |last=Waddell |date=9 October 2011 |access-date=5 August 2014}}
The league was renamed the SPFL Development League in 2014, with the number of teams increased to 17.{{cite web |url=http://spfl.co.uk/news/article/development-league-fixture-list/ |title=Development League fixture list |work=spfl.co.uk |publisher=SPFL |date=7 July 2014 |access-date=7 July 2014}} At this time two regional leagues were also introduced, with eight clubs competing in the Development League West and nine clubs competing in the Development League East.{{cite web |url=http://spfl.co.uk/news/article/development-league-east--west/ |title=Development League East & West fixtures |work=spfl.co.uk |publisher=SPFL |date=14 July 2014 |access-date=14 July 2014}} The restriction on over-age players was relaxed, with teams now permitted to use five older players in a matchday squad of 18.[http://spfl.co.uk/news/article/development-league-begins-tonight/ Development League kicks off], SPFL
The league was dissolved in 2018 and replaced by the SPFL Reserve Leagues.{{cite web |url=https://spfl.co.uk/news/article/spfl-reserve-league-201819/ |title=Reserve Leagues for season 2018/19 |publisher=SPFL |date=23 July 2018 |access-date=23 July 2018}}
=European competition=
From 2015 onwards, the UEFA Youth League provides a qualification route for 'domestic youth champions', in addition to clubs whose senior team reaches the UEFA Champions League group stage.{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefayouthleague/news/0253-0d041ac9a933-67001402c85e-1000--uefa-youth-league-retained-and-expanded/|title=UEFA Youth League retained and expanded|publisher=UEFA|date=18 September 2014}} As the age group for the Development League is older than that of the UEFA Group League, Scotland's representative will be the winner of the Under-17 league, which plays competitive fixtures however does not reveal the results and tables publicly to minimise the scrutiny on the young players.{{cite web|url=http://hydc.co.uk/teams/|title=Academy Teams|publisher=Hearts Youth Development Committee|access-date=4 February 2017}} In 2015,{{cite web|url=http://www.celticfc.net/news/8309 |title=Celtic Under-17s book European place with title triumph|publisher=Celtic FC|date=20 May 2015|access-date=30 May 2017}} 2016,{{cite web|url=http://www.celticfc.net/news/10615|title=Aitchison fires in a hat-trick as Celtic U17s seal league title|publisher=Celtic FC|date=29 May 2016|access-date=4 February 2017}} and 2017,{{cite web|url=http://www.celticfc.net/news/12696 |title=European football once more for Celtic's U17 champions|publisher=Celtic FC|date=25 May 2017|access-date=30 May 2017}} the winners of the Under-17 league were Celtic; in 2018, Hamilton won the title,{{cite web|url=https://www.hamiltonacciesfc.co.uk/u17s-win-elite-youth-league/|title=u17s win Elite Youth League|publisher=Hamilton Academical Football Club|date=13 May 2018|access-date=24 July 2018}} and Rangers were the 2019 champions.{{cite web | url=https://rangers.co.uk/news/academy-news/gers-are-under-18-champs/ | title=Gers Are Under-18 Champs! | publisher=Rangers FC | date=3 May 2019 | access-date=15 June 2019}}
Winners
=SFL Youth League=
| class="wikitable"
! width=80|Season[http://www.oocities.org/br1anmccoll/splu19league.htm Scottish Football Historical Archive Mirror – SFL/SPL/SPFL Youth Leagues] ! width=150|Winner ! width=150|Runner-up |
| align=center|1993–94
| align=center|Aberdeen | align=center|Celtic |
| align=center|1994–95
| align=center|Celtic | align=center|Aberdeen |
| align=center|1995–96
| align=center|Rangers | align=center|Celtic |
| align=center|1996–97
| align=center|Dundee United | align=center|Celtic |
| align=center|1997–98
| align=center|Aberdeen | align=center|Dundee United |
=SPL Under-18 League=
| class="wikitable"
! width=80|Season ! width=150|Winner ! width=150|Runner-up |
| align=center|1998–99
| align=center|Aberdeen | align=center|Celtic |
| align=center|1999–00
| align=center|Celtic | align=center|Dundee United |
| align=center|2000–01[http://www.afcheritage.org/Matches/LeagueTables/league.cfm?squad=Youth&season=2000-01 AFC Heritage – 2000–01 SPL Under-18 League Table]
| align=center|Heart of Midlothian | align=center|Livingston |
| align=center|2001–02
| align=center|Rangers | align=center|Celtic |
| align=center|2002–03
| align=center|Celtic | align=center|Rangers |
=SPL Under-19 League=
| class="wikitable"
! width=80|Season ! width=150|Winner ! width=150|Runner-up |
| align=center|2003–04
| align=center|Celtic | align=center|Rangers |
| align=center|2004–05
| align=center|Celtic | align=center|Motherwell |
| align=center|2005–06
| align=center|Celtic | align=center|Motherwell |
| align=center|2006–07
| align=center|Rangers | align=center|Celtic |
| align=center|2007–08
| align=center|Rangers | align=center|Celtic |
| align=center|2008–09
| align=center|Hibernian | align=center|Heart of Midlothian |
| align=center|2009–10
| align=center|Celtic | align=center|Motherwell |
| align=center|2010–11
| align=center|Celtic | align=center|Heart of Midlothian |
| align=center|2011–12
| align=center|Celtic | align=center|Heart of Midlothian |
=SPFL Under-20 League=
=SPFL Development League=
Other Competitions (SFL / SPFL era)
Although the Scottish Premier League (SPL) superseded the Scottish Football League (SFL) as the top division in 1998, the SFL continued to run an under-18 league until 2003, when the age group was split into under-17's and under-19's.{{cite web | url=http://www.scottishfootballleague.com/football/youth/youth-winners/ | title=Youth Winners | publisher=Scottish Football League | access-date=30 September 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930192342/http://www.scottishfootballleague.com/football/youth/youth-winners/ | archive-date=30 September 2011 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }} The SFL also ran a cup competition (not to be confused with the SFA Youth Cup) for the various age groups. After the SFL ceased operation in 2013, with the foundation of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) in 2013, an under-19 league and cup competition was run alongside the new under-20 league.{{cite web | url=https://spfl.co.uk/news/spfl-winners | title=SPFL Winners 2013–19 | publisher=SPFL | access-date=14 June 2019}} There were also West and East Development Divisions operating under the main SPFL Development League between 2014 and 2018. Club Academy Scotland (CAS), organised and managed by the Scottish Football Association (SFA), began operating youth leagues with under-17 the top age group in 2014.{{cite web | url=http://www.aprefs.co.uk/clubs/4772/docs/CAS/CAS%2019/CAS%20Regulations%202019.pdf | title=CAS Regulations 2019 | publisher=Aprefs | access-date=15 June 2019}} The under-17 age range was raised to under-18 by CAS in 2018.
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
| class="wikitable"
! width=230| Competition ! width=150| Winner |
| rowspan="2" align=center| 1998–99
| SFL Under-18 Youth Division A | Aberdeen |
| SFL Under-18 Youth Division B
| Falkirk{{cite web | url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12358629.cameron-aims-to-cap-big-month-with-a-vital-victory/?c=s7wt3c | title=Cameron aims to cap big month with a vital victory | work=Herald Scotland | date=30 April 1999 | access-date=14 June 2019}} |
| rowspan="3" align=center| 1999–2000
| SFL Under-18 Youth Division A | Celtic |
| SFL Under-18 Youth Division B |
| SFL Under-18 Youth Division C
| Falkirk |
| align=center| 2000–01
| colspan="2" align=center| No competition |
| rowspan="2" align=center| 2001–02
| SFL Under-18 Youth Division | Ayr United |
| SFL Under-18 Youth League Cup
| Stirling Albion |
| rowspan="2" align=center| 2002–03
| SFL Under-18 Youth Division | Ayr United |
| SFL Under-18 Youth League Cup
| Ross County |
| rowspan="4" align=center| 2003–04
| SFL Under-19 Youth Division | Ross County |
| SFL Under-19 Youth League Cup
| Queen's Park |
| SFL Under-17 Youth Division
| Falkirk |
| SFL Under-17 Youth League Cup
| Hamilton Academical{{cite web|url=https://www.clydefc.co.uk/news/2004/05/18/970/#.W2uknmZf1kg|title=Sore Defeat For Hillcoat's Men|publisher=Clyde F.C.|date=18 May 2004 |access-date=3 August 2019}} |
| rowspan="4" align=center| 2004–05
| SFL Under-19 Youth Division | St Johnstone |
| SFL Under-19 Youth League Cup
| Queen's Park |
| SFL Under-17 Youth Division
| Morton |
| SFL Under-17 Youth League Cup
| Ross County |
| rowspan="4" align=center| 2005–06
| SFL Under-19 Youth Division | Dundee |
| SFL Under-19 Youth League Cup
| St Johnstone |
| SFL Under-17 Youth Division
| Stenhousemuir |
| SFL Under-17 Youth League Cup
| Raith Rovers |
| rowspan="4" align=center| 2006–07
| SFL Under-19 Youth Division | Ross County |
| SFL Under-19 Youth League Cup
| East Fife |
| SFL Under-17 Youth Division
| Airdrie United |
| SFL Under-17 Youth League Cup
| Airdrie United |
| rowspan="4" align=center| 2007–08
| SFL Under-19 Youth Division | Livingston |
| SFL Under-19 Youth League Cup
| Raith Rovers |
| SFL Under-17 Youth Division
| Queen's Park |
| SFL Under-17 Youth League Cup
| Cowdenbeath |
| rowspan="4" align=center| 2008–09
| SFL Under-19 Youth Division | Livingston |
| SFL Under-19 Youth League Cup
| Livingston |
| SFL Under-17 Youth Division |
| SFL Under-17 Youth League Cup
| Queen of the South |
{{col-2}}
{{col-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://spfl.co.uk/reserve-and-youth/ League fixtures]
{{Scottish Professional Football League}}
{{Defunct football competitions in Scotland}}
Category:Scottish Premier League
Category:1998 establishments in Scotland
Category:Sports leagues established in 1998
Category:Youth football in Scotland
Category:2018 disestablishments in Scotland