The 2017–18 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.

Changes

For the 2017–18 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 2018–19 to replace the Development League, the club would not participate in the final year of the competition. 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. Inverness Caledonian Thistle also withdrew from the 2017–18 competition.

Eligible players were those born in 1998 or later, but five players of any age were permitted in the matchday squad of 18.

Summary

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
1Hibernian (C)2619257235+3759
2Dundee2616555233+1953
3Heart of Midlothian2617186243+1952
4Aberdeen2614574930+1947
5Motherwell2614394534+1145
6Celtic2613584927+2244
7Ross County2611785652+440
8Hamilton Academical2611694638+839
9Dundee United2691163761−2428
10St Mirren2675144359−1626
11St Johnstone2675144157−1626
12Partick Thistle2664163665−2922
13Kilmarnock2661192953−2419
14Falkirk2654172656−3019

Matches

Teams play each other twice, once at home and once away.

Home \ AwayABECELDNDDUNFALHAMHOMHIBKILMOTPARROSSTJSTM
Aberdeen—1–10–12–02–02–23–04–22–01–26–32–21–04–2
Celtic1–4—2–04–01–41–14–11–14–00–21–00–01–22–0
Dundee4–20–0—1–01–13–02–43–21–01–15–12–00–53–1
Dundee United1–33–20–2—3–00–32–32–24–12–42–10–61–25–3
Falkirk0–20–40–21–2—1–40–11–23–10–14–11–10–22–2
Hamilton Academical1–00–31–23–01–0—0–13–12–01–31–22–22–24–1
Heart of Midlothian1–30–21–12–15–10–2—2–32–04–24–14–13–21–0
Hibernian2–03–22–16–01–23–11–4—2–14–23–12–15–04–0
Kilmarnock1–02–11–20–16–10–12–41–6—0–10–21–16–30–2
Motherwell0–01–03–50–23–03–21–21–22–0—1–01–20–04–1
Partick Thistle2–10–33–14–11–11–40–61–30–10–3—1–13–33–3
Ross County1–11–31–43–24–24–24–30–32–14–32–3—4–14–2
St Johnstone0–11–30–31–20–10–02–41–43–21–04–22–3—3–3
St Mirren1–20–32–22–13–03–33–00–31–20–11–04–23–1—

Top scorers

As of matches played on 7 May 2018

RankPlayerClubGoals
1Scotland Oli ShawHibernian19
2Scotland Jack AitchisonCeltic13
Scotland Neil McLaughlinPartick Thistle
4Scotland Ross CunninghamHamilton Academical12
Scotland Innes CameronKilmarnock

Source:

External links