U21 PREVIEW: BURNLEY V CHARLTON ATHLETIC

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Clarets host Addicks in season opener at County Ground

2022-08-07T18:30:00.000Z

U21 PREVIEW: BURNLEY V CHARLTON ATHLETIC

Clarets host Addicks in season opener at County Ground

2022-08-07T18:30:00.000Z

Clarets host Addicks in season opener at County Ground

Burnley’s U21 side welcome Charlton Athletic to the County Ground in Leyland on Monday afternoon (August 8) for the opening game of the Professional Development League season.

Missing out on a spot in the play-offs come the end of their Premier League 2, Division 2 campaign by only goal difference last term, the Clarets have seen change in the camp this summer.

Opportunities within the first-team environment have been presented to some of last season's squad members, including Dara Costelloe who has started the first two games of the Sky Bet Championship campaign under Vincent Kompany.

Owen Dodgson, Joe McGlynn and Finn Armstrong along with Irishman Costelloe have all signed professional contracts at Turf Moor over the course of the summer.

Meanwhile, players have moved up permanently from the youth team camp to the U21s including Dan Sassi, Dane McCullough and Will Hugill.

The addition of attacking midfielder Seb Thompson following a successful trial has also bolstered the squad. The 19-year-old had spent time in both Liverpool and Derby County’s academies before becoming a Claret as well as representing England at U17 level.

U21 PREVIEW: BURNLEY V CHARLTON ATHLETIC - Image 1

Throughout pre-season, many of the U21s were involved in the first-team's friendlies, though the side did take on Telford United and a Blackpool XI separately, drawing 1-1 & losing 4-1 respectively.

Charlton meanwhile finished 4th in the Southern section of the Professional Development League last season, accruing 36 points from their 24 games.

For reference, that tally would've seen them sat in the same position of the equivalent Northern section which was won by Sheffield United.

QUADRUPLE NOMINATION FOR CLARETS AT NORTH WEST FOOTBALL AWARDS - Image 2

Tomorrow's game is scheduled to get underway at 2:00pm at the Lancashire FA’s headquarters. Coverage from the Club will come via Twitter - @ClaretsAcademy – while a match report will also be uploaded on the Burnley FC website post-match.

Following this, the Clarets will face their first away trip of the season next Monday (August 15) when they travel to Reading’s Select Car Leasing Stadium, that game also pencilled in for a 2:00pm kick-off.

A full list of the U21s league fixtures for this season can be found HERE.

Change from U23 to U21

The Premier League have made changes to the Professional Development League system meaning that it will become an U21 competition from the start of the 2022/23 season.

The change in age parameters, from U23 to U21, comes as part of an ongoing review of the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) to better align with the Papa John’s Trophy and other international competitions.

Clubs will initially be permitted the use of five over-age outfield players and one over-age goalkeeper for the 2022/23 campaign.

How the league will be structured

Although the Clarets this season will play teams from across the country, they will still be in their regionalised league, the Northern section. Their opponents will come from both there and the Southern section, which Charlton are in.

Come the end of the regular season, the top two-placed sides from each section enter a play-off system. Winners of the Northern section take on the Southern Section's runners-up and vice versa, with the two winners from those semi-finals progressing into a national final.