Season › 2012-13 › News Everton feature in new U-21 showcase Michael Kenrick , 3 August, 23comments | Jump to most recent Format inspired by the Olympics? Everton feature in Group 1 of the new Barclays Under-21 Premier League competition, announced today. Teams from 17 Premier League and six nPower Championship clubs are divided into three groups and, from January, the sides will then be placed into three pools based on their performance, leading to a knockout stage and final. The Barclays Premier League have confirmed the creation of a new Under-21 competition to bridge the gap between the academy and first team. The first national showcase for Under-21 players will launch on August 17 when Chelsea host Manchester City and Reading visit West Ham. Teams from 17 Premier League and six nPower Championship clubs — effectively all those who applied for category one status — will be divided into three groups. From January, the sides will then be placed into three pools based on their performance, leading to a knockout stage and final. The emphasis will be on playing Under-21 players with each team limited to just three over-age outfield players and one over-age goalkeeper. "Each stage of a player's development is tailored to ensuring they have the best possible chance of progressing," Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said. "The new Barclays Under-21 Premier League addresses one of the most critical points - the transition from academy football to the highest standards in the first team. "We believe this competitive environment, where fans can also come along to watch the next generation of Premier League and international players, will help deliver more talented home grown boys to that next level." * National Group 1 - eight teams: Arsenal, Blackburn, Bolton, Everton, Norwich, Reading, West Brom, West Ham. * National Group 2 - eight teams: Aston Villa, Manchester United, Newcastle, Southampton, Stoke, Sunderland, Tottenham, Watford. * National Group 3 - seven teams: Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Middlesbrough, Wolves. Quotes or other material sourced from Sporting Life U-21 Premier League Fixtures Everton confirm Reserves re-branding Reader Comments (23) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer Michael Kenrick 1 Posted 03/08/2012 at 16:59:18 Sounds interesting... something new... a breath of fresh air... more football...But the inclusion of over-age players has me wondering what this will mean for the Reserves competition, which they tried (and failed) to rebrand as a U-21 thing a few years back. I guess this is an outgrowth of that new Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) initiative... And thinking more about it, this has to mean the death of the FA Premier Reserve League... doesn't it?Or perhaps not, as EvertonFC.com is listing half a season at least of upcoming Reserves fixtures, starting on 14 August. David Chait 2 Posted 03/08/2012 at 17:31:06 To me its an excellent move. A real competitive league for this age group is important and showcases who the standouts are in this age band. The reserve league made no sense to me beyond keeping your youngsters and helping some players come back from injury.It wasn't meaningful enough though so I preferred loaning out as an option for player development. Hope we do well! Gavin Ramejkis 3 Posted 03/08/2012 at 17:37:42 The U21 sounds like a good move crying out to happen, for too long the reserves league has waned to nothing offering the kids no real competition. Can only be a benefit. The reserve league needs to be put out of its misery. Mark Riding 4 Posted 03/08/2012 at 18:39:00 I bet we have already taken out a loan in advance of any under 21 television money coming in ! Gerry Quinn 5 Posted 03/08/2012 at 19:01:03 Pity this isn't the EPL - with the Shite where they really belong! Chris Brown 6 Posted 03/08/2012 at 20:58:52 So are these games that the public will pay to see, maybe even have TV rights? Is this possibly another revenue stream for the club? Leung Chi Ho 7 Posted 03/08/2012 at 21:12:52 So who will play in this leauge??Duffy, Rodwell, Barkley, Junior, Vellios, McAleny, Garbutt, BidwellThree over-aged players: Mucha, Coleman, Anichebe complete the squad.MuchaColeman Duffy Rodwell GarbuttAnichebe Junior Barkley BidwellVellios McAleny Fran Mitchell 8 Posted 03/08/2012 at 21:34:15 Sounds like they are looking for a way for the big (rich) teams to stockpile the best youngsters, to the detriment of lower league football.It's time we stopped big teams buying the talent of poorer teams. I reckon, firstly, no player should be transferred before they are 18. Secondly, if they are, the club must meet certain conditions e.g. must play a certain number of games/minutes per season. If such conditions aren't met he can be purchased for the same price he was bought for.Lower league football is on it's knees, and Premier League clubs (including Everton) are doing their best to send it to ruins.We often talk about how unfair the PL is, yet the hypocrisy is huge, á la our signing of Naismith, I didn't see anyone say "If that was Everton I'd be fuming", "No way can you have Fellaini for free" etc... Peter Warren 9 Posted 03/08/2012 at 21:46:22 Fran some excellent points and good ideas but then you lost me on that last paragraph. Naismith was a free agent so we signed him - we didn't nick him from anyone Ian Corky 10 Posted 03/08/2012 at 21:55:32 To digress, I just read CFC.NET the gobshite site for Chelsea muppets, a so-called screen writer for them saying Fellaini should be flatterd to be linked with them. They finished just above us in the league and I feel keeping our squad together for next season, we will finish above our nearest rivals Spurs, Newcastle and even Chelsea (Liverpool? don't make me laff — the tits will be marching up Anfield Road calling for Rodgers and or the Yanks by December). On Chelsea they will never be as big as EVERTON!!! Fran Mitchell 11 Posted 03/08/2012 at 23:47:24 A free agent who previously had a contract with a club. While that contract indeed became 'invalid' due to some legal issues, to the supporters of the club they had a player and now they don't, simple as that.Remember the bile shouted at Gosling? Similar situation. What if Fellaini or Jelavic left for free this January due to some legal fuck up by Kenwright and co, would it be justifiable? Fran Mitchell 12 Posted 03/08/2012 at 23:51:15 Anyway, this is for another discussion.I for one do not like the implications of this u-21 league, in the long run it will be viewed as a replacement of lower league football (as a professional sport), and will lead to greater dominance of just a few teams ala Real and Barca in Spain. Si Cooper 13 Posted 04/08/2012 at 00:44:56 Fran, the big clubs already stockpile the best youngsters. Chelsea have a crop of young players loaned out across Europe. However, I suspect they won't bring them back just for this competition as they are getting decent development already and it seems unlikely that they will develop any better by playing whatever group of 16, 17 and 18 year olds we (and others like us) can muster. Unless there is some financial benefit to encourage clubs like ours to retain a load of youngsters who are too old for the academy but not ready for first team duty, I don't see how we will be competitve. Maybe that is the idea behind this whole scheme; a way to prevent marginal youngsters being released at 18 - 20 rather than sign them up to senior contracts?What happened with McAleny - last I read he was in limbo? Tom Dodds 14 Posted 04/08/2012 at 06:18:00 Hmm... this league, no matter how well intentioned – and I've no doubts it is – will just end up being a youth showcase ampitheatre for the ever-prying vulture-culture clubs intent on Champions League donination of Europe ad-infinitum.I don't think too many people realise especially with us, new, good, and in a way unfortunately great talent means more money needed to keep them. Gosling was only the first methinks Watch (McAleny) this space. Steve Guy 15 Posted 04/08/2012 at 10:27:21 Didn't this used to be called the Reserves??? Ray Roche 16 Posted 04/08/2012 at 13:27:16 Fran, @672Didn't we do that with Garbutt? Eugene Ruane 17 Posted 04/08/2012 at 14:39:15 Talking of the Olympics - COME ON EVERTON....Dos Santos Lopes (Olympic boxer from Brazil, currently fighting a Cuban). Eugene Ruane 18 Posted 04/08/2012 at 14:54:21 Er....lost. Mark Wilson 19 Posted 04/08/2012 at 23:35:08 Fran #686, I just cannot understand your argument about Naismith? I feel sorry for the Rangers fans who played no real part in the disgusting financial and organisational mess that has brought down their club, unless of course you count the incredible pressure they placed on anyone running the club to buy buy buy, regardless of the fact that the finances were not adding up and the lack of quality in their league didn't warrant that level of investment. Naismith is 25, was a free agent and in fact represents something of a gamble for EFC due to his wicked injury last year. Perfectly good signing and we shouldn't apologise to anyone.As for the new league, I can see the suspicion, understand it because this is mostly the Premier League money grabbing elite and I agree with those wondering about future TV coverage?But on balance it makes sense. We need a good quality competition for those too old for Academy football and/or too good. It must be better than the current Reserves set-up? There is a chance here to provide a better bridge to first team action. Worth a shot I think. Mark Riding 20 Posted 05/08/2012 at 00:04:13 Fran, Naismith took a huge ( maybe even 75% ) pay cut to help Rangers finish their fixtures last season along with a few other top players. Gosling ? Yeah, Im sure he would of too..Rangers dosent exist anymore, thats the only reason he left. He had no contract, income, so I have no problem with signing him, and as Mark Wilson says, he is a gamble injury wise, which may yet backfire on us. Michael Kenrick 21 Posted 05/08/2012 at 15:49:32 Back to the topic... Everton have confirmed this does replace the Reserves League, which has been in existence since the earliest years of English Football, when it was dominated by Everton (see: History of Everton Reserves. [Link Fixed!] Steve Guy 22 Posted 05/08/2012 at 16:59:21 I was right ! :-) Michael Kenrick 23 Posted 06/08/2012 at 03:13:23 Indeed you were, Steve. I'd initially checked a couple of sites and they still showed a different set of Reserves fixtures for the up-coming season, so I was unsure.Now it's been confirmed by the Club, this is just a re-branding exercise. I can't see it doing much to enhance the profile of "The Reserves" for your average fan, who will continue to ask questions like: "Tiyas Browning?!? Who he???" 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