Delighted Blues boss Mick McCarthy says he's looking forward to the Blues’ “unbelievable” play-off semi-final against local rivals Norwich City, Town having been confirmed in sixth in the Championship despite losing 3-2 at Blackburn in their final league game this afternoon.
The Town manager felt his team deserved to make it, despite today’s loss: "Relieved, but delighted as well. We’ve kind of had to remind ourselves in the dressing room that we’re in the play-offs, and deservedly so. We’ve got 78 points and we’ve deserved it over the season.”
The Town boss says the play-offs hold no fear for him: "Nothing my terrifies me, I have to be honest.
"It’s inspirational, the thought of going into them, when I don’t think anybody gave us a chance at the start of the season.
"I think everybody’s seen what we’re made of. We weren’t great today but we still kept going and could have got back in it. I’d liked to have done it on our own merits but the play-offs are something to relish and look forward to.”
As for the games against Norwich themselves, starting with a home tie next Saturday (KO 12.15pm), he added: "That’s an unbelievable tie. I’m looking forward to it, there’s nothing else that I can do.
"I imagine that as they’ve beaten us twice there’ll be some thinking it’ll be an easy turnover but I guess anybody who knows anything about it will know that won’t be the case.”
Does he view the Blues as underdogs? "I actually don’t think there is an underdog in a two-legged tie.
"All right, they’ve finished third and we’ve finished sixth, but there aren’t too many points between us over the season. I’m not going to portray myself as the underdog.”
He continued: "I kept saying it’s about what you end up with on May 2nd during the league, it’s now what you end up on on May 25th.
"We’re hoping that we’ll be at Wembley, but we’ve a helluva tie, they’re a good side, they’re a very good side, Norwich.”
McCarthy says he was aware of developments elsewhere at points during the afternoon: "At half-time I knew and with about 75 minutes I was told that Derby were 2-0 down.
"I still wanted to get back in it, I wanted us to do it and get a point and nobody could have said anything untoward about us.
"But they can’t anyway because the season’s finished and the points are there and it’s done.
"If you’ve followed me all season I’ve said that it’s what you end up with on May 2nd and that somebody’s going to get a slap on the last day with goal difference, and it turned out it was Derby and not us. How happy does that make me feel? It’s great.”
The Blues boss says he’s aware what the game will mean to supporters: "I’ll be getting everything I’ve had this week, the drain on your emotions when people keep coming up and telling you ‘You’ll be all right, we’ll do this, we’ll do that’.
"All people do is pour their pain and negativity and emotions on to other people. And if I could stand and say ‘Listen, we’re going to win, it’s going to be a piece of cake’, they’d love that, but I can’t.
"‘What are you going to do?’. We’ll do what we normally do. I’ve had every scenario given to me ahead of today and, do you know what, the one that’s happened was one nobody would have picked.”
He admits that he hasn’t the greatest play-off record having played six and won only once, the 2002 World Cup games against Iran when Ireland boss.
"It’s not been great my play-off past, I have to be honest, although I did get to a World Cup finals via a play-offs,” he recalled.
"But that doesn’t count for anything. It’s different, it’s a new game, a new season, a new prize that’s at stake. And I’m looking forward to it.
"I tried to keep them calm this week, maybe I’ll make them anxious all next week because we didn’t play particularly well when I thought we were calm. Maybe we need to get them excited.”
However today had gone he says he would have been proud of his players: "I’ve said that to them in the dressing room, had we not qualified, I’d have had to go in and say ‘Listen lads, I’m immensely proud of what you’ve done and given me this season and what we’ve achieved’.
"It was nicer to be able to do that with us in the play-offs, of course, but I would still have said it because they’ve been fabulous.
"They give everything, you’ve seen today that they don’t leave anything on the pitch. We didn’t play well but we were still going at it hammer and tongs trying to get that point even when we knew the result at Derby.”
As for the match itself, he dismissed suggestions that the result was a bit harsh as his team, and striker Freddie Sears in particular, had been unlucky in front of goal.
"It’s not bad luck, it’s bad technique really,” he added. "Dario Gradi taught me that on my coaching badge. All the lads kept saying ‘Unlucky, unlucky’ and he marched on and said ‘It’s not unlucky, it’s bad technique’.
"It stuck with that, and it is. It’s bad finishing, and that from a guy who has been brilliant.
"He felt really bad today, Freddie, but I said ‘Save it for the play-off, pal. You can’t score every game, save it for next week and the week after’.
"He’s been brilliant. Goalscorers just don’t do it every week. I said ‘Isn’t it lovely that you’ve missed chances and we’re still end up in the play-offs?’. You feel a damned sight better about that than if we’d have missed out and he’d have been ruing all his missed chances.
"Now he’s got two great games to look forward to and he can score again. And I’m sure he will.”
Blackburn boss Gary Bowyer was pleased to see his side, who ended the season in ninth, extend their recent solid run of form.
"It’s a good way to round off the season, we’re seven unbeaten,” he said. "We wanted to stay unbeaten throughout the summer because it lasts with you a long time, your last game.
"I think it’s frustrating that you’ve seen the performance that we’ve produced against a team that’s in the play-offs and we’re not there ourselves.
"We’ve got to work very hard this summer and come back looking to build on the two years of stability and progression that we’ve made.”
Bowyer paid tribute to one-time England international David Dunn, 35, who was making his final appearance for Rovers.
"He was outstanding,” he added. "I’m delighted that we’ve won the game for him. I think it’s a fabulous send-off for him.
"Today you saw some absolutely fantastic bits of skill on the pitch that only he can do. One pass in particular out to Adam Henley was top, top drawer. He’s going to be sadly missed here.”