 | |
| Founded | 1999 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 2012 |
| Country |  England |
| Divisions | 2 |
| Number of clubs | 16 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Central League (North) Football Combination (South) |
| Last champions | Manchester United Reserves (2011–12) |
ThePremier Reserve League (officially known as TheBarclays Premier Reserve League forsponsorship reasons) was thereserve team league for the top Englishfootball teams in thePremier League. The league was split into a northern and a southern division.
The league started out in 1999, replacingThe Central League in the north andThe Football Combination in the south as the top level of reserve-team football, although those competitions continued for lower-level teams and from 2004 to 2005, the regional champions would play-off for the title.[1]
From the2006–07 edition until its disbandment, the league was only open to sides whose senior teams were one of the 20 members of thePremier League. As a result, a senior team's relegation from the Premier League would mean relegation for the reserve team from the Premier Reserve League and replacement by the reserve team of the promoted team from theChampionship.
Tottenham Hotspur decided against entering a side for the2009–10 Premier Reserve League season and other teams followed suit in the 2 following seasons. The final season was the 2011–12 season. At the end of that season, it was replaced by an Under-21 competition, called theProfessional Development League 1.
From 2004-05 the League instigated a play-off between the champions of the two sections. In that first season Northern Champions Manchester United Reserves beat Southern ChampionsCharlton Athletic Reserves 4–2 atThe Valley. In the 2005–06 play-off, held atOld Trafford, Manchester United Reserves beat Tottenham Hotspur Reserves 2–0. The 2007 final, held at theMadejski Stadium, Reading beat Bolton 2–0. Liverpool Reserves beat Aston Villa Reserves 3–0 in the 2008 final atAnfield. Aston Villa reached the final again next season and beat Sunderland 3–1 atVilla Park. In the 2009–10 play-off match, held again atOld Trafford, Manchester United beat Aston Villa 3–2 in a penalty shoot-out after the game ended 3–3. In the2010–11 playoff match,Chelsea defeated Blackburn 5–4 in a penalty shoot-out, after the game ended 1–1 atStamford Bridge. In the 2011–12 season finale held atOld Trafford,Manchester United Reserves beatAston Villa Reserves 3–1 on penalties after the game ended 0–0 in normal time.
