Brighton & Hove Albion manager Chris Hughton was keen to focus on the positives of the Seagulls' season despite missing out on the Championship title in devastating circumstances on the final day at 10-man Aston Villa.
Jack Grealish's 89th-minute equaliser prevented Brighton from sealing the league title alongside their promotion to the top-flight, which they confirmed on April 17, after Glenn Murray had scored from the penalty spot on the hour mark.
The south coast side needed just one win from their final three games to claim the title, but lost twice before drawing at Villa Park to allow Newcastle United to cancel out a seven-point gap and be crowned champions.
Hughton: It's a negative day but there are far more pluses
"It showed what it meant to the players," Hughton said of the disappointment among his players after full-time.
"The timing of the goal, if Villa had scored earlier and we're pushing them, you're trying to get back in the game. At that late stage, I think it made it even tougher for the players take.
"We spoke after the game and what you have to do, you have to speak about the season. I think what we wanted was because, we've had three opportunities to do it.
"Out of the three games, this is our best performance. Our best opportunity was probably at home to Bristol City last game. What we desperately wanted was to make sure they put in a performance that was more like us. I think we got that today.
"The responses of the players after showed what it meant to them. You want them to have that disappointment and feel that way because that's when it really matters.
"But it's about reminding them that that would have been the real sort of total this season. We've managed to finish just slightly behind a Newcastle side that have spent massive in the summer and are a Premier League outfit.
"We managed to finish a good few points above the teams below us and they've managed to do that for two years. Today's a negative day because it's difficult but there are far more pluses. What these lads have achieved this has been magnificent."
Brighton boss insists team must take responsibility rather than Stockdale
David Stockdale, who has been one of Brighton's best performers throughout the campaign, allowed Grealish's shot to slip through him having made a number of fine stops earlier in the afternoon.
"That's the life of a goalkeeper," Hughton reflected. "He's been excellent for us all season and he made two very good saves from the free-kicks before so there are always processes before the ball even gets to him.
"Could somebody have done better and stopped the shot? Never any proportion of blame [on him]. He's a goalkeeper that has been excellent for us all season. When things don't happen, we have to accept it and take responsibility as a team.
"In all honesty I've not seen the goal again but I will do at some stage. I might decide not to. For us the season is finished, we've achieved our goal and I think sometimes you have to put into context what the achievement is.
"We're playing in a division where there are some very big teams. There are some that have spent big money and we've managed to come, along with Newcastle, in the top two. At this moment I'd prefer to think more about the achievement than looking back on today.
"I'll probably feel that way tomorrow and the next day because fortunately for us, we've got a Premier League season to prepare for."
On Stockdale being out of contract in the summer, Hughton added: "It's the normal processes of player contracts and talks. It's no different for somebody coming towards the end of his contract or who has a year left.
"The club enter talks with the representative and some come to an earlier conclusion, some don't. It's just the normal process we have to go through."
"We won't make wholesale changes to our squad for the Premier League"
Once the disappointment of failing to win the title dissipates, Brighton will begin their preparations for life in the Premier League - having not been in the top-flight since 1981-82.
And Hughton acknowledges the need to add to the squad in order to avoid an immediate return to the Championship but insists they will keep the core of their current crop.
"Yeah we're conscious of that [the need to improve the squad] but we're also very conscious that you can't make wholesale changes," the Englishman said.
"Part of the reason we've been the team we have the last couple of seasons is because it's a wonderful group that work very hard for each other and what we have to do is recruit well enough. Certainly there won't be wholesale changes.
"We have to recruit well enough with the right types that are not going to take too much away from what we've already got, but will give us a better quality squad.
"It's probably a little bit difficult for me to really appreciate the magnitude [of the achievement] because I've been at the club two and a bit years and I always have to try and focus on what's going to come next.
"I always try and bring expectations down and work with the players and recruitment.
"I do know it's a wonderful achievement from this group of players but the ones who have been around the club and the supporters are the best judges of that.
"The fans have been brilliant all season for us. They've really appreciated what the players have given them. They were very good last year when we came very close [losing out in the play-off semi-finals].
"They appreciate how difficult it is and the quality of the teams and the money that is spent. To do that, albeit in second place, they've responded really well."