Aston Villa U23s, Academy & Ladies - 2016/17

[UK Redsox]

With the Premier League clubs dropping out of the revamped Johnstone's Paint Trophy, will Villa's U21s now be taking part ?

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jul/08/new-efl-trophy-premier-league-academy-teams-fans

[UK Redsox]

[OCD]

You would have thought there would have been a consultation process early on.

[UK Redsox]

https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2016/07/20/international-cup

Villa’s youngsters will compete in the Premier League International Cup for the 2016/17 season.

The competition has expanded to 24 Clubs – 12 domestic Clubs and 12 international Clubs.

It will see twelve of England’s best academy sides compete against twelve of the top development squads in the rest of Europe.

The competition will be open to players U23 so that Clubs will be permitted to name three over age outfield players and one overage goalkeeper.

The opportunity to play against B teams from across Europe has been challenging and an attractive development opportunity for coaches and players.

The competition will be split into six groups of four Clubs.

Each Club will play the other Clubs in their Group once, either home, away or neutral. 

The top club in each Group plus the two best placed runners-up will advance to the knock-out stage. 

Following rounds will be a straight knock-out (one leg) – quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.

Man City were the inaugural winners (2014/15) after beating Porto B 1-0 in the final at the City Academy Stadium, while Villarreal emerged victorious in 2015/16 final, when they beat PSV Eindhoven’s Jong PSV 4-2 after extra-time at Millwall’s New Den.

Teams included
Chelsea, Derby County, Everton, Leicester City, Liverpool, Man Utd, Middlesbrough, Norwich City, Reading, Sunderland and Swansea City.
AC Sparta Prague, Athletic Club Bilbao, Celtic, Dinamo Zagreb, FC Porto, Feyenoord, Hertha BSC, PSV Eindhoven, Benfica, Valencia, Villareal, Wolfsburg.

[cdbearsfan]

Sounds interesting. Enjoyed watching some of the European teams in the NextGen. Might pop to some of these if they're at Villa Park.

[UK Redsox]

I guess that this means Villa won't be entering the Paint Pot

[cdbearsfan]

I hope we don't.

[UK Redsox]

U21 domestic league fixtures

https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2016/07/20/premier-league-2-fixtures

[Toronto Villa]

For this new Premier League 2 for U21's, how are Derby and Reading in Division 1 and us, West Ham and Newcastle in Division 2?

[UK Redsox]

Confirmed that Villa U21s are not in the revamped FA Trophy

http://www.efl.com/news/article/2016/efl-trophy-group-stage-draw-3209367.aspx

[cdbearsfan]

For this new Premier League 2 for U21's, how are Derby and Reading in Division 1 and us, West Ham and Newcastle in Division 2?

I'm assuming because their under-21s are better than ours.

[Toronto Villa]

For this new Premier League 2 for U21's, how are Derby and Reading in Division 1 and us, West Ham and Newcastle in Division 2?

I'm assuming because their under-21s are better than ours.

How did they assess that if this is a brand new format?

[Whiney MacWhineface]

It's a re-brand. We were already in the second U21 division:

Edit: bollocks, can't get that link to work. Anyway, we finished 7th last year in Div 2, Reading and Middlesborough being promoted.

[PGW]

It's a re-brand. We were already in the second U21 division: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014–15_Professional_U21_Development_League

Yeah we lost to Arsenal in play off final didn't we so stay in Div 2

[UK Redsox]

U18 League Fixtures

https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2016/08/02/U18-fixtures-announced

Sat Aug 13 Arsenal A Arsenal Training Centre
Sat Aug 20 Reading H Bodymoor Heath
Sat Aug 27 Tottenham Hotspur A Tottenham Hotspur Training Ground 12noon
Sat Sep 10 Brighton and Hove Albion H Bodymoor Heath 1.30pm
Sat Sep 17 Southampton A Staplewood Training Ground 12.30pm
Sat Sep 24 Chelsea H Bodymoor Heath 11am
Sat Oct 1 Fulham A Fulham Training Centre 12noon
Sat Oct 15 Swansea City A Landore Training Centre 11am 
Sat Oct 22 Norwich City H Bodymoor Heath 1pm
Sat Oct 29 West Ham United H Bodymoor Heath 11am
Sat Nov 19 Reading A Reading Training Ground 12.30pm
Sat Nov 26 Arsenal H Bodymoor Heath 12noon
Sat Dec 3 Southampton H Bodymoor Heath 11am
Sat Dec 17 Leicester City A Leicester City FC Academy 11am
Sat Jan 7 Tottenham Hotspur H Bodymoor Heath 12noon
Sat Jan 14 Chelsea A Cobham Training Ground 12noon
Sat Jan 21 Fulham H Bodymoor Heath 12noon 
Sat Jan 28 Norwich City A Colney Training Centre 1pm
Sat Feb 4 Swansea City H Bodymoor Heath 12noon
Sat Feb 11 West Ham United A Little Heath Sports Ground 12noon
Sat Feb 18 Leicester City H Bodymoor Heath 11am
Sat Mar 11 Merit Group 1
Sat Mar 18 Merit Group 2
Sat Apr 1 Merit Group 3
Sat Apr 8 Merit Group 4
Sat Apr 22 Merit Group 5
Sat Apr 29 Merit Group 6
Sat May 13 Merit Group 7