In addition to their first team competing in the Scottish Premiership, Aberdeen F.C. also maintain further teams for younger age groups playing in competitions such as the Scottish Challenge Cup and the Scottish Youth Cup within the club's academy. Competitions Reserves In the early 1950s, reserve teams were incorporated into the third tier of the senior Scottish Football League, with Aberdeen 'A' taking part for six seasons of the arrangement. Aberdeen fielded a team for many years in various separate reserve competitions culminating in the Scottish Premier Reserve League, which was abandoned in 2009. In July 2018, it was reported that reserve leagues would be reintroduced in lieu of the development leagues that had been in place since 2009 (below). The top tier of the new SPFL Reserve League featured 18 clubs, whilst a second-tier reserve League comprised nine clubs. Other than a minimum age of 16, no age restrictions applied to the leagues. Aberdeen intimated at the end of its first season (2018–19) that they would withdraw from the Reserve League to play a variety of challenge matches, several others did likewise. They later entered a small league (under-21 plus three overage) along with three other Scottish clubs and Brentford and Huddersfield Town from the English leagues. Youths Prior to the introduction of the Scottish Premier League in 1998, the Under-20s previously competed in the youth league administered by the Scottish Football League. An under-20 side then took part in the SPFL Development League until it was disbanded in 2018. They won the last edition of the SFL competition and the first under the SPL, but they only won it once more (in 2014–15). From 2015 onwards it has been possible for the Aberdeen Academy to participate in the UEFA Youth League by the under-17/under-18 side winning the previous season's league at that age group; however this has not yet been achieved. For the 2016-17 edition of the Scottish Challenge Cup, under-20 teams (later under-21) of clubs in the Premiership were granted entry to compete against adult teams for the first time in the modern era. Aberdeen U20 won their opening round against Formartine United of the Highland League but lost in the next round to Forfar Athletic of the fourth tier. Facilities As of 2019, the reserves do not have a constant home ground. Their fixtures are normally played at lower league stadia outwith Aberdeen, either at Glebe