Nicky 'Class of 92' Butt's 'explanation' of their relegation is: "If you are not around the first team at 20 or 21 you're not going to be, it's a fact". Thanks for that, Butt. It's not actually a 'fact,' even if you had a clear sense of what being 'around' the first team is, but that doesn't matter at all when it comes to how competitive your under 23 side is.
He's also claimed, adopting a different tack completely, that another reason why they were relegated is that they concentrate on technical development while others try to win games. Well, that was more like what we did until there was a shift in policy, since when we've grown more competitive, tried harder to win games, and we've produced MORE young players who are now 'around' the first team.