Tottenham beat Sunderland to win Premier League 2 for first time
This was the sixth season of PL2 and there was a new name on the trophy
Written by Training Ground Guru & Youth Hawk — May 28, 2024
Tottenham Under-21s beat Sunderland 3-1 to become Premier League 2 champions for the first time.
This season PL2 has taken on a new ‘Swiss style’ format, with 25 teams in one competition rather than the old Division One and Two system.
Tottenham, who finished top of the ‘regular season’ before going into the play-offs, beat Sunderland 3-1 with the help of two goals from Will Lankshear.
The forward, who was named PL2 Player of the Season, had scored 30 goals across all competitions prior to the final.
He scored the opening goal in the first half before doubling Spurs' lead after the break.
George Abbott added a third goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time and, although Sunderland pulled one back three minutes later through Timur Tuterov, Spurs secured a comfortable victory.
Wayne Burnett's side had remained unbeaten in all competitions against U21 opposition until February and won 11 consecutive PL2 games from the start of the season.
Here are the previous winners of PL2:
PREMIER LEAGUE CUP
Hayden Mullins' Fulham thrashed Tottenham 4-0 in the final to lift the U21s Premier League Cup.
Fulham raced to a 3-0 lead by half-time at Craven Cottage, thanks to a hat-trick from Callum Osmand. Giorgos Okkas got the fourth after the break.
It was a fitting win, because no team had scored more or conceded less goals than Fulham going into the final.
PREMIER LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL CUP
Crystal Palace U21s beat PSV Eindhoven to lift the Premier League International Cup, avenging a 3-1 defeat by the Dutch side in last season's final.
Franco Umeh's deflected shot in the 67th minute settled the contest in front of over 2,000 fans at Selhurst Park.
The Premier League International Cup features 12 of England's best Academy sides against 12 of the top development squads in the rest of Europe.
The tournament was introduced for the 2014/15 season to give homegrown talent the chance to test themselves against the best young players on the Continent and adapt to the demands and different styles of domestic and European football.
U18 PREMIER LEAGUE
Manchester United U18s were crowned U18 Premier League national champions with a 2-1 victory at Chelsea.
United had won the Premier League North title, meaning they took on Premier League South champions Chelsea in the competition’s final at Stamford Bridge.
Ethan Wheatley, who also became United’s 250th Academy graduate to feature for the senior side in 2023/24, scored the opener in the final.
Josh Acheampong equalised for the home side before Ethan Williams smashed home the winner.
U18 PREMIER LEAGUE CUP
Manchester United U18s were also crowned U18 Premier League Cup champions with a 2-1 victory over Manchester City at Leigh Sports Village.
Wheatley scored two in the first half for Adam Lawrence’s side, with City defender Stephen Mfuni getting one back after the interval. Adam Lawrence's side.
FA YOUTH CUP
Manchester City won the 2024 FA Youth Cup.
Ben Wilkinson’s side secured the prestigious trophy after a 4-0 victory over Leeds United in the showpiece final wat the Etihad Stadium.
It marks the fourth time the club have been crowned FA Youth Cup winners, following triumphs in 2020, 2008 and 1986.
Goals from Justin Oboavwodou, Jaden Heskey, Stephen Mfuni and Matty Warhurst secured the Cup.
UEFA YOUTH CUP
Olympiacos won the 10th edition of the UEFA Youth League, defeating AC Milan 3-0 in Nyon thanks to a burst of three goals in seven minutes just past the hour.
The victory was the first by a Greek club in any UEFA competition. Indeed, Olympiacos were only the second Greek team to win a UEFA competition after the senior national men's side that triumphed at UEFA EURO 2004.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE
This is the competition for teams operating below Category One.
- Sheffield United won PDL2, beating Birmingham 2-0 in the final.
- Birmingham City won the U18 PDL, winning 3-2 against Charlton in the final.
Youth Hawk have provided the biggest database on English youth football since January 2014. They produce comprehensive coverage of the English Premier League 2, Under-18 Premier League, Professional Development League 2 and Under-18 League 2.
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