At the end of the season all the teams were paired into rounds of play-offs played over two legs in a knockout system.
The inaugural winners were Arsenal, who beat Tottenham Hotspur 2–1 on aggregate in the final.
The league was reorganised yet again in 2004–05 season, with the league being reformed as a single Under-18 competition (players are aged under 18 on the preceding 31 August), with up to 3 Under-19 outfield players and 1 Under-19 goalkeeper allowed per team per match.
Teams also competed at an Under-16 level in identically formed groups, but these were played as friendlies – no league table was maintained and no play-offs were contested.
The four group winners entered the playoffs, which was a straight knockout format.