Premier League propose plans for new 'B' league to replace Under-21s
Albion, Villa and Wolves are set to be involved in a Premier League 'B' league featuring games broadcast from their grounds.
Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore confirmed plans for a 'B' league to replace the current Under-21 league format, and would be for Under-23 players with four over age players allowed.
The league would involve the same teams in the Under-21 league - those classed as category one in the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP).
Those include Albion and Villa as two of the 16 Premier League clubs with Football League sides Wolves, Bolton, Blackburn, Leicester, Middlesbrough and Reading.
The plan is to broadcast games from the main club stadiums to help bridge the gap between academies and the big time.
"The Under-21 League isn't where it needs to be in terms of meaningful competition," said Scudamore.
"The challenge of developing English talent to play in the Premier League is how do you get them from Under-18s into first-team squads?
"It's such a huge leap. You have to have the transition phase, the 'professional development phase'.
"The minute you call it 'Under-21' people think it's no use.
"It needs a better name. We need proper kick-off times, using main stadiums - anything to create an experience more like the first team so it doesn't come as such a shock."
Albion currently play their Under-21s games at either their training ground or The Hawthorns, Villa divide theirs between Hinckley and Villa Park and Wolves play the majority of theirs at AFC Telford.
