2008–09 Premier Academy League

2008–09 Premier Academy League
ChampionsArsenal
Goals scored1,975
Average goals/game3.51
Biggest home winIpswich Town 7 – 0 Birmingham City
(25 April)
Biggest away winBlackburn Rovers 0 – 8 Manchester City
(1 November)
Highest scoringTottenham Hotspur 6 – 6 Coventry City
(22 November)
Longest winning run11, Sunderland
(1 November – 14 March)
Longest unbeaten run28 (all group game), Manchester City
(23 August – 18 May)
26 (inc. play-off), Manchester City
(23 August – 2 May)
Longest losing run11, Milton Keynes Dons
(1 November – 28 February)

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

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

Manchester City1–2Arsenal
Abdisalam Ibrahim 41' Report Cedric Evina 14'
Rhys Murphy 76'
Attendance: TBA
Sunderland1–2Tottenham Hotspur
Ryan Noble 71' (pen.) Report Ryan Mason 39' (pen.)
Andros Townsend 43'
Attendance: 314

Play-off Final

Tottenham Hotspur0–1Arsenal
Report Rhys Murphy 50'
Attendance: 5,090
Referee: Carl Berry (Surrey)

Records

See also

Match reports

Group A Group B Group C Group D