2008–09 Premier Academy League
| Champions | Manchester City (23 August – 2 May) |
|---|---|
| Longest losing run | 11, Milton Keynes Dons (1 November – 28 February) |
← 2007–08 → | |
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 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
Pos
|
Team
|
Pld
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
GD
|
Pts
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
|
Arsenal U18s (C)
|
28
|
22
|
4
|
2
|
71
|
31
|
+40
|
70
|
2
|
Norwich City U18s | 28
|
13
|
6
|
9
|
46
|
42
|
+4
|
45
|
3
|
Ipswich Town U18s | 28
|
14
|
2
|
12
|
55
|
53
|
+2
|
44
|
4
|
Crystal Palace U18s | 28
|
12
|
4
|
12
|
51
|
47
|
+4
|
40
|
5
|
West Ham United U18s | 28
|
10
|
8
|
10
|
51
|
38
|
+13
|
38
|
6
|
Southampton U18s
|
28
|
12
|
2
|
14
|
49
|
56
|
−7
|
38
|
7
|
Portsmouth U18s | 28
|
10
|
5
|
13
|
48
|
52
|
−4
|
35
|
8
|
Chelsea U18s
|
28
|
10
|
4
|
14
|
57
|
65
|
−8
|
34
|
9
|
Fulham U18s
|
28
|
8
|
9
|
11
|
44
|
45
|
−1
|
33
|
10
|
Charlton Athletic U18s
|
28
|
6
|
4
|
20
|
32
|
65
|
−33
|
22
|
Academy Group B
Pos
|
Team
|
Pld
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
GD
|
Pts
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
|
Tottenham Hotspur U18s (C)
|
28
|
19
|
7
|
2
|
85
|
36
|
+49
|
64
|
2
|
Leicester City U18s | 28
|
19
|
3
|
6
|
90
|
48
|
+42
|
60
|
3
|
Aston Villa U18s
|
28
|
16
|
6
|
6
|
66
|
42
|
+24
|
54
|
4
|
Coventry City U18s | 28
|
15
|
8
|
5
|
62
|
46
|
+16
|
53
|
5
|
Reading U18s | 28
|
10
|
5
|
13
|
44
|
52
|
−8
|
35
|
6
|
Bristol City U18s | 28
|
9
|
6
|
13
|
63
|
67
|
−4
|
33
|
7
|
Cardiff City U18s
|
28
|
7
|
7
|
14
|
33
|
48
|
−15
|
28
|
8
|
Watford U18s | 28
|
7
|
4
|
17
|
43
|
58
|
−15
|
25
|
9
|
Birmingham City U18s | 28
|
7
|
4
|
17
|
30
|
64
|
−34
|
25
|
10
|
Milton Keynes Dons U18s | 28
|
3
|
4
|
21
|
26
|
81
|
−55
|
13
|
Academy Group C
Pos
|
Team
|
Pld
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
GD
|
Pts
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
|
Manchester City U18s (C)
|
28
|
22
|
6
|
0
|
88
|
33
|
+55
|
72
|
2
|
Manchester United U18s
|
28
|
15
|
8
|
5
|
65
|
34
|
+31
|
53
|
3
|
West Bromwich Albion U18s | 28
|
13
|
5
|
10
|
55
|
37
|
+18
|
44
|
4
|
Liverpool U18s | 28
|
13
|
5
|
10
|
56
|
49
|
+7
|
44
|
5
|
Everton U18s | 28
|
11
|
8
|
9
|
49
|
39
|
+10
|
41
|
6
|
Stoke City U18s | 28
|
11
|
7
|
10
|
30
|
41
|
−11
|
40
|
7
|
Wolverhampton Wanderers U18s | 28
|
10
|
9
|
9
|
36
|
39
|
−3
|
39
|
8
|
Crewe Alexandra U18s | 28
|
11
|
5
|
12
|
54
|
53
|
+1
|
38
|
9
|
Blackburn Rovers U18s | 28
|
8
|
6
|
14
|
36
|
50
|
−14
|
30
|
10
|
Bolton Wanderers U18s | 28
|
7
|
2
|
19
|
28
|
57
|
−29
|
23
|
Academy Group D
Pos
|
Team
|
Pld
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
GD
|
Pts
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
|
Sunderland U18s (C) | 28
|
22
|
2
|
4
|
62
|
30
|
+32
|
68
|
2
|
Newcastle United U18s | 28
|
13
|
7
|
8
|
55
|
46
|
+9
|
46
|
3
|
Derby County U18s | 28
|
11
|
7
|
10
|
55
|
51
|
+4
|
40
|
4
|
Sheffield United U18s | 28
|
8
|
11
|
9
|
34
|
43
|
−9
|
35
|
5
|
Nottingham Forest U18s | 28
|
9
|
3
|
16
|
41
|
50
|
−9
|
33
|
6
|
Leeds United U18s
|
28
|
9
|
5
|
14
|
41
|
43
|
−2
|
32
|
7
|
Barnsley U18s | 28
|
7
|
7
|
14
|
34
|
64
|
−30
|
28
|
8
|
Sheffield Wednesday U18s | 28
|
6
|
6
|
16
|
27
|
47
|
−20
|
24
|
9
|
Huddersfield Town U18s
|
28
|
5
|
9
|
14
|
37
|
69
|
−32
|
24
|
10
|
Middlesbrough U18s | 28
|
5
|
8
|
15
|
39
|
57
|
−18
|
23
|
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
Arsenal | ||
|---|---|---|
Abdisalam Ibrahim  41' |
Report | Cedric Evina 14' Rhys Murphy 76' |
Tottenham Hotspur | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ryan Noble 71' (pen.) |
Report | Ryan Mason 39' (pen.) Andros Townsend 43' |
Play-off Final
Arsenal | ||
|---|---|---|
| Report | Rhys Murphy 50' |
Records
- Most group wins: 22, Manchester City and Sunderland
- Most league wins: 24, Arsenal
- Fewest wins: 3, Milton Keynes Dons
- Fewest group defeats: 0, Manchester City
- Fewest league defeats: 1, Manchester City
- Most defeats: 21, Milton Keynes Dons
- Most points: 72, Manchester City
- Fewest points: 13, Milton Keynes Dons
- Most goals scored: 90, Leicester City
- Fewest goals scored: 26, Milton Keynes Dons
- Fewest group goals conceded: 30, Sunderland
- Fewest league goals conceded: 32, Arsenal and Sunderland
- Most goals conceded: 81, Milton Keynes Dons
- Highest goal difference: 55, Manchester City
- Lowest goal difference: −55, Milton Keynes Dons
See also
- Premier Reserve League 2008–09
- FA Youth Cup 2008–09
- Premier League 2008–09
- 2008–09 in English football
External links
- Premier Academy League U18 2008/2009 final league tables
- Premier Academy League U18 2008/2009 results
Match reports
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
|---|---|---|---|