Town midfielder Jack Taylor says the Blues will take plenty of lessons from their Premier League journey and use them to attack the Championship next season.
For the second season in a row, the three promoted sides have all been immediately relegated with Town having joined Leicester City and Southampton in falling back to the second tier at the first time of asking.
The Blues will return to the Championship next season off the back of a season of experience at the top level, something which Taylor believes should not be underestimated.
"It’s going to be a completely different year next year,” he said. "We’re coming in from the top league rather than going up into the Premier League. We’re still going to go into every game next year as if we were preparing for a Premier League game this year.
"On a respect basis, we’re going to respect every opposition in the Championship the same we do with Premier League sides. We’re not in a great position now and it’s not the goal we all wanted, but the club is ready for next season and we’re still preparing for that now.
"Definitely looking at the bigger picture, if you take all the lessons we’ve learnt this year competing against the best in the world.
"We all know that the Championship is a really tough league as well, but to take the lessons that we’ve learnt this year into next year would be a massive plus for us. Hopefully we do bounce straight back up.”
Two players who appear unlikely to be with the Blues beyond the end of this season are loanees Jens Cajuste and Kalvin Phillips.
The presence of the pair in midfield has meant Taylor has found game time, particularly starts, limited this season. However, the Republic of Ireland international understands why.
"They’ve brought their own different qualities,” he said. "There’s so much experience between the two of them. They’ve shown day in, day out how they train and how they apply themselves.
"I feel like they’ve learnt from our group as well on what we’ve built over the last couple of seasons. It’s been great to have them and they’ve been great additions to the squad.
"Unfortunately the outcome wasn’t what we wanted but the club is in a great stand and no matter what they choose to do next year, they’ll be in a great position.”
While the season will end in the Blues falling short in their ultimate goal of survival, there are plenty of moments to take from the campaign for each player on a personal level.
For Taylor, he has experienced playing in the top flight for the first time in his career, with the trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United a particular highlight.
He said: "That was probably my favourite night, I know the result wasn’t ideal. To come on at my boyhood club who I’ve supported since I was a kid was really surreal.
"There’s so many historical grounds, great players and great teams that we’ve come up against this year, it’s one to learn from.
"Because I came on as a sub, I just had to focus on my job and what I had to do. I came on when we were 3-2 down so I had to come on and try and push for a goal and try and create something.
"It was more when you first got there as a player rather than as a fan. I’ve been there with my dad’s season ticket since I was a kid going to watch United.
"Being on the other side of it as a player, turning up on the pitch and things like that was a more surreal moment before the game. Once the game kicks off and you’re zoning in, a switch gets flipped.”
Taylor also struck his first goal at the level in December against Wolverhampton Wanderers, entering an exclusive list of players to have scored in the top five tiers of English football.
"It was the most perfect way to score your first Premier League goal,” the 26-year-old recalled. "Away from home, in front of a packed away end in the last minute, it was a special moment.”