Football League Youth Alliance

Infobox football league

pixels =
country = ENG
founded = 1997
divisions = 4
teams = 58
levels = 2
promotion = Premier Academy League
relegation =
domest_cup = FA Youth Cup
champions = Walsall (North West)
Hull City (North East)
Plymouth (South West)
QPR (South East)
season =
current =

The Football League Youth Alliance (known sometimes as the Puma Youth Alliance after its sponsors, Puma) is the second tier of youth football competition in England, beneath the FA Premier Academy League. It was founded in 1997 at the same time as the expansion of the Premier Academy League (which is for clubs with Academy status), and is contested between Football League member clubs with Centre of Excellence status.

Current Structure

*"See [http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/PYADetail/ Puma Youth Alliance Newsletter 08/09] for 2008-09 season league tables."The competition is currently (as of 2008-09) contested by 58 clubs, split into four regional conferences: North-West (18 teams), North-East (13 teams), South-West (11 teams) and South-East (16 teams).

North West Conference

* Accrington Stanley
* Blackpool
* Burnley
* Bury
* Carlisle United
* Chester City
* Macclesfield Town
* Morecambe
* Oldham Athletic
* Port Vale
* Preston North End
* Rochdale
* Shrewsbury Town
* Stockport County
* Tranmere Rovers
* Walsall
* Wigan Athletic
* Wrexham

North East Conference

* Boston United
* Bradford City
* Chesterfield
* Darlington
* Doncaster Rovers
* Grimsby Town
* Hartlepool United
* Hull City
* Lincoln City
* Mansfield Town
* Rotherham United
* Scunthorpe United
* York City

outh West Conference

* AFC Bournemouth
* Bristol Rovers
* Cheltenham Town
* Exeter City
* Hereford United
* Oxford United
* Plymouth Argyle
* Swansea City
* Swindon Town
* Torquay United
* Yeovil Town

outh East Conference

* Aldershot Town
* Barnet
* Brentford
* Brighton & Hove Albion
* Colchester United
* Dagenham & Redbridge
* Gillingham
* Leyton Orient
* Luton Town
* Millwall
* Northampton Town
* Peterborough United
* Queens Park Rangers
* Southend United
* Rushden & Diamonds
* Wycombe Wanderers

Current Winners

Youth Alliance Cup

The Youth Alliance also operates a cup competition known as the Puma Youth Alliance Cup.

Participating teams

*"See [http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/PYADetail/ Puma Youth Alliance Newsletter 08/09] for current information."The competition is split into 5 groups currently, top-3 of each group and the best 4th placed club will qualify for the knockout stage. The participating teams for 2008-09 are:

Group 1

* A.F.C. Bournemouth
* Aldershot Town
* Cheltenham Town
* Hereford United
* Oxford United
* Swindon Town

Group 2

* Bristol Rovers
* Exeter City
* Plymouth Argyle
* Swansea City
* Torquay United
* Yeovil Town

Group 3

* Barnet
* Brentford
* Brighton & Hove Albion
* Colchester United
* Dagenham & Redbridge

Group 4

* Gillingham
* Leyton Orient
* Luton Town
* Northampton Town
* Peterborough United

Group 5

* Millwall
* Queens Park Rangers
* Rushden & Diamonds
* Southend United
* Wycombe Wanderers

Winners

ee also

*Premier Academy League
*FA Youth Cup

References

External links

* [http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/PYAIndex/ Official page on the Football League website]