Skipper Luke Chambers insisted that Town will only get better under manager Mick McCarthy after Saturday’s play-off semi-final defeat to Norwich City at Carrow Road.
The 10-man Blues were beaten 3-1 on the day and 4-2 on aggregate to miss out on a place in next Monday’s final against Middlesbrough at Wembley.
"Under the manager we have we are only going to improve, he is experienced in this division and knows how to set teams up,” Chambers said.
"You have seen how he has galvanised this team, the whole town, everyone is together. The fans are coming back, they believe in the team and backed by the owner I’m sure the manager will make this team even stronger.”
Regarding next Monday's match, he added: "The final is wide open. None of the previous results will matter. I wish them all the best in the final but all I’m looking at is us getting there or going up automatically next season.”
Reflecting on Saturday’s game, the 29-year-old felt the match turned on the penalty incident which saw central defender Christophe Berra red-carded for handling Nathan Redmond’s goal-bound shot.
"The penalty and red card have changed the game,” he continued. "No one gave us a chance to get where we are at the beginning of the season but we did.
"Halfway through the season we were top two, we will look to at least make the play-offs next season and hopefully go one better. It has been an absolute pleasure to play with every one of those players in that dressing room.
"This is my sixth play-off and I have still to make the final. I thought this year was going to be different and felt we could win the game. Up until the penalty that never changed.
"I would say they got the rub of the green but they didn’t really because it was a penalty. We should not have given the ball away earlier in the passage of play to allow players of their quality do what they did.”
The Blues captain backed Scotland international Berra, despite his dismissal: "Christophe has been an absolute rock for us all season.
"It wasn’t his fault, it was an instinct. In hindsight you say let it in but who knows what any of us what do in that situation. We will never blame Christophe for this because he has been brilliant for us all season.”
He admits failing to reach the final is going to be hard to take but believes the Blues, who finished sixth this season, three positions better than last year, will continue to make progress.
"It is going to be a long week for us now,” he said. "We will only get stronger after this. I have said to the lads before we need to make the most of these opportunities, learn from them and grow.
"It doesn’t feel it right now but we should be proud of what we have done. Teams will not want to play us at Portman Road next season now."
Meanwhile, winger Stephen Hunt has expressed his frustration at the end of the campaign in his Irish Sunday Independent column, while he and several other Blues players commented on the play-off defeat and the end of the season on Twitter.
Proud of team mates today and fans deserve better,one thing we have is fight,feel for everybody at club and the town #proud #tractorboy– stephen hunt (@stephenhunt1010) May 16, 2015