The 2014-15 Under-21 Premier League Cup, known as the Barclays Under-21 Premier League Cup for sponsorship reasons, was the second edition of the U21 Premier League Cup.
Participants There were six fewer participants than the previous season. The eight clubs that chose not to re-enter were Arsenal, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Coventry City, Notts County, Bristol Rovers, Exeter City and Torquay United. The two clubs entering the competition for the first time were Charlton Athletic and Ipswich Town.
Category 1 NorthSouthBlackburn RoversAston VillaBolton WanderersBrighton & Hove AlbionDerby CountyFulhamEvertonNorwich CityLeicester CityReadingManchester CitySouthamptonMiddlesbroughWest Bromwich AlbionNewcastle UnitedWest Ham UnitedStoke CityWolverhampton WanderersSunderland
Category 2 NorthSouthBarnsleyBristol CityBirmingham CityCardiff CityCrewe AlexandraCharlton AthleticHuddersfield TownColchester UnitedLeeds UnitedIpswich TownNottingham ForestMillwallSheffield UnitedQueens Park RangersSheffield WednesdaySwansea City
Category 3 NorthSouthBurnleyAFC WimbledonDoncaster RoversAFC BournemouthHull CityGillinghamPreston North EndPeterborough UnitedWigan AthleticPlymouth ArgyleWatford
Matches
First qualifying round This round commences the week beginning 15 September 2014. The round was contested by 10 of the 11 clubs with Category 3 rated academies, with another, Doncaster Rovers, receiving a bye to the Second Qualifying Round.
Northern Section DateHome teamScoreAway teamAttendance 16 Sep Wigan Athletic 5–0 Preston North End 30 Sep Burnley 0–2 Hull City
Southern Section DateHome teamScoreAway teamAttendance 23 Sep Watford 1–0 Peterborough United 23 Sep Gillingham 1–0† Plymouth Argyle 23 Sep AFC Wimbledon 1–0 A.F.C. Bournemouth
† – After extra time
Second qualifying round This round commences the week beginning 6 October 2014. The round was contested by Doncaster Rovers, who received a bye to this round, the five First Qualifying Round winners, and 20 of the 22 clubs with Category 2 rated academies - the other two, Crewe Alexandra and Queens Park Rangers, received a bye to the Round of 32.
Northern Section DateHome teamScoreAway teamAttendance 8 Oct Nottingham Forest 1–3 Wigan Athletic 20 Oct Sheffield Wednesday 0–1 Hull City 198 6 Oct Leeds United 6–0 Doncaster Rovers 6 Oct Birmingham City 1–3 Sheffield United 96 8 Oct Huddersfield Town 1–0 Barnsley 148
Southern Section DateHome teamScoreAway teamAttendance 27 Oct Bristol City 1–2† Watford 28 Oct Cardiff City 0–1 Gillingham 7 Oct Charlton Athletic 4–0 AFC Wimbledon214 6 Oct Millwall 1–1 Colchester United Millwall won 6–5 on penalties. 6 Oct Ipswich Town 2–1 Swansea City
† – After extra time
Round of 32 This round begins the week beginning 24 November 2014. The nineteen Category 1 sides were joined in this round by the twelve teams progressing from the Second Qualifying round. Blackburn Rovers drew a bye to the Round of 16.
Northern Section DateHome teamScoreAway teamAttendance 8 Dec Sheffield United 0–0 Stoke City Stoke City won 5–4 on penalties. 9 Dec Leicester City 1–2 Leeds United 5 Dec Manchester City 2–4 Sunderland 24 Nov Middlesbrough 1–0 Hull City 196 12 Dec Bolton Wanderers 4–4 Wigan Athletic Bolton Wanderers won 4–1 on penalties. 15 Dec Huddersfield Town 2–0 Everton 24 Nov Newcastle United 2–1† Crewe Alexandra 317
Southern Section DateHome teamScoreAway teamAttendance 1 Dec Fulham 2–4 Norwich City 123 25 Nov West Ham United 1–1 Millwall West Ham United won 8–7 on penalties. 24 Nov Reading 3–0 Queens Park Rangers 25 Nov Watford3–2 Gillingham 22 Dec Charlton Athletic 1–0 Brighton & Hove Albion 24 Nov Ipswich Town 0–1 Southampton 323 25 Nov Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–1 Aston Villa 147 20 Nov West Bromwich Albion 0–1 Derby County
† – After extra time.
Round of 16
DateHome teamScoreAway teamAttendance 12 Jan Blackburn Rovers 3–2 Aston Villa 240 22 Dec Bolton Wanderers 1–3† Reading 8 Jan Derby County 0–0 Sunderland Derby County won 4–3 on penalties. 6 Jan Huddersfield Town 0–0 Charlton Athletic Huddersfield Town won 6–5 on penalties.
DateHome teamScoreAway teamAttendance 5 Jan Middlesbrough 1–4 Stoke City 22 Dec Newcastle United 4–1 West Ham United 468 15 Jan Southampton 2–0 Norwich City 323 6 Jan Watford 6–1 Leeds United
† – After extra time.
Quarter-finals
DateHome teamScoreAway teamAttendance 2 Feb Derby County 1–0 Stoke City 3 Feb Huddersfield Town 0–1 Reading
DateHome teamScoreAway teamAttendance 20 Jan Newcastle United 0–1 Blackburn Rovers 509 12 Feb Southampton 3–2 Watford
† – After extra time.
Semi-finals
DateHome teamScoreAway teamAttendance 5 Mar Southampton 4–2 Derby County
DateHome teamScoreAway teamAttendance 26 Feb Blackburn Rovers 2–1† Reading 196
† – After extra time.
Final
First leg
Second leg
See also 2014–15 Professional U21 Development League 2014–15 FA Cup 2014–15 FA Youth Cup 2014–15 in English football
References