The Premier Reserve League (officially known as The Barclays Premier Reserve League for sponsorship reasons) was the reserve team league for the top English football teams in the Premier League. The league was split into a northern and a southern division.
The league started out in 1999, replacing The Central League in the north and The 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.
From the 2006âÂÂ07 edition until its disbandment, the league was only open to sides whose senior teams were one of the 20 members of the Premier 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 the Championship.
Tottenham Hotspur decided against entering a side for the 2009âÂÂ10 Premier Reserve League season and other teams followed suit in the 2 following seasons. The final season was the 2011âÂÂ12 season. At the end of that season, it was replaced by an Under-21 competition, called the Professional 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 Champions Charlton Athletic Reserves 4âÂÂ2 at The Valley. In the 2005âÂÂ06 play-off, held at Old Trafford, Manchester United Reserves beat Tottenham Hotspur Reserves 2âÂÂ0. The 2007 final, held at the Madejski Stadium, Reading beat Bolton 2âÂÂ0. Liverpool Reserves beat Aston Villa Reserves 3âÂÂ0 in the 2008 final at Anfield. Aston Villa reached the final again next season and beat Sunderland 3âÂÂ1 at Villa Park. In the 2009âÂÂ10 play-off match, held again at Old Trafford, Manchester United beat Aston Villa 3âÂÂ2 in a penalty shoot-out after the game ended 3âÂÂ3. In the 2010âÂÂ11 playoff match, Chelsea defeated Blackburn 5âÂÂ4 in a penalty shoot-out, after the game ended 1âÂÂ1 at Stamford Bridge. In the 2011âÂÂ12 season finale held at Old Trafford, Manchester United Reserves beat Aston Villa Reserves 3âÂÂ1 on penalties after the game ended 0âÂÂ0 in normal time.