Premier Reserve League

Infobox football league

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pixels = 160
country = ENG
founded = 1999
divisions = 2
teams = 20
relegation = Central League (Northern)
Football Combination (Southern)
levels = 1
champions = Liverpool Reserves
season = 2007–08
current = 2008–09 seasonThe Premier Reserve League (officially known as the Barclays Premier Reserve League for sponsorship reasons), is the top reserve team league for the top English football teams in the Premier League. The league is split into a northern and a southern division.

The league in its current form 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 these competitions still continue for lower-level teams.

Teams are not relegated from the Premier Reserve League based on their final league position, but on the league position of their respective clubs' senior teams. If the senior team is relegated from the Premier League, then the reserve team is relegated from the Premier Reserve League and replaced by the Reserve teams of the promoted teams from the Championship.

Past winners

From 2004-05 onwards, the League held its first play-off between the champions of the two sections. Northern Champions Manchester United Reserves beat Southern Champions Charlton Athletic Reserves 4-2 at The Valley. In the 2005-06 Play-off, held at Old Trafford, Manchester United Reserves beat Tottenham Hotspur Reserves 2-0. The 2007 final, held at the Madejski Stadium, Reading beat Bolton 2-0. Liverpool Reserves beat Aston Villa Reserves 3-0 in the 2008 final at Anfield.

Current participants

*"See Premier Reserve League 2008-09 for the 2008-09 season ongoing league tables."

The Reserve League was restructured for the 2006-07 season, with only reserve teams of members of the Premier League taking part in the competition. The current 20 members of the Premier Reserve League for the 2008-09 season are:

ee also

*Premier League
*Premier Academy League
*Central League
*Football Combination

External links

* [http://www.premierleague.com/page/Publications/ Barclays Premier Reserve League Bulletin]