Season | 2017β18 |
---|---|
Champions | Hibernian [1] |
Top goalscorer | Oli Shaw (Hibernian) |
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2016β17 2018β19 β
All statistics correct as of 1 August 2017. |
The 2017β18 SPFL Development League was the 20th season of the highest youth Scottish football league and the fourth season under the "Development League" format. It began on 21 August 2017, and concluded on 7 May 2018. [2]
For the 2017β18 season of the Development League, three teams chose to withdraw from the competition. Dunfermline Athletic announced in May 2017 that due to the proposals made under 'Project Brave', which would see the implementation of a reserve league from the 2018β19 to replace the Development League, the club would not participate in the final year of the competition. [3] Rangers also announced their intention to withdraw from the competition, instead receiving permission from the SPFL to take part in a programme of fixtures against a number of European elite youth teams, for example, Manchester United, Benfica and Bayern Munich. [4] [5] Inverness Caledonian Thistle also withdrew from the 2017β18 competition.
Eligible players were those born in 1998 or later, but five players of any age were permitted in the matchday squad of 18.
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Hibernian (C) | 26 | 19 | 2 | 5 | 72 | 35 | +37 | 59 |
2 | Dundee | 26 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 52 | 33 | +19 | 53 |
3 | Heart of Midlothian | 26 | 17 | 1 | 8 | 62 | 43 | +19 | 52 |
4 | Aberdeen | 26 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 49 | 30 | +19 | 47 |
5 | Motherwell | 26 | 14 | 3 | 9 | 45 | 34 | +11 | 45 |
6 | Celtic | 26 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 49 | 27 | +22 | 44 |
7 | Ross County | 26 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 56 | 52 | +4 | 40 |
8 | Hamilton Academical | 26 | 11 | 6 | 9 | 46 | 38 | +8 | 39 |
9 | Dundee United | 26 | 9 | 1 | 16 | 37 | 61 | −24 | 28 |
10 | St Mirren | 26 | 7 | 5 | 14 | 43 | 59 | −16 | 26 |
11 | St Johnstone | 26 | 7 | 5 | 14 | 41 | 57 | −16 | 26 |
12 | Partick Thistle | 26 | 6 | 4 | 16 | 36 | 65 | −29 | 22 |
13 | Kilmarnock | 26 | 6 | 1 | 19 | 29 | 53 | −24 | 19 |
14 | Falkirk | 26 | 5 | 4 | 17 | 26 | 56 | −30 | 19 |
Teams play each other twice, once at home and once away.
Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Oli Shaw | Hibernian | 19 |
2 | Jack Aitchison | Celtic | 13 |
Neil McLaughlin | Partick Thistle | ||
4 | Ross Cunningham | Hamilton Academical | 12 |
Innes Cameron | Kilmarnock |
Source: [6]