Sunday 21 May 2017 19:06, UK
Sean Dyche has challenged his Burnley players to keep moving forward and learning after a 2-1 final day defeat at home to West Ham.
Already assured of Premier League survival and their highest finish since 1975, the Clarets were in the mood to celebrate on the final day and Sam Vokes enlivened the atmosphere further by putting them ahead 23 minutes in.
However, goals from Sofiane Feghouli and Andre Ayew ensured the Clarets finished the season with defeat - leaving Dyche in a reflective mood in the aftermath.
"It is a small negative in a positive season," Dyche told Sky Sports. "The game should have been dead and buried at half-time.
"We had three or four chances in the first half - [Andre] Gray had two and [James] Tarkowski had one.
"The disappointment of today is tempered by the fact that we are in the Premier League, which was always the aim. It has been a tough challenge but I have been very pleased with the players overall.
"The challenge is to keep moving forward. We have to look at where we can strengthen and keep learning.
"That is the key thing. We have been moving forward every season, learning every season.
"We have done that [improved] year on year here, even when we were in the Premier League last time. We came out as an improved bunch and learned a lot from that.
"That is not just the players. That is the staff, that is myself. We all continue to learn.
"Recruitment is a really big thing, and is something we have done well over the years."
Dyche was also coy about whether he will be able to persuade some of this coveted stars - such as Michael Keane - to remain at the club for next season.
"It is not [keeping hold of current players] a big challenge," Dyche added. "It is a challenge that I have had every season I have been here.
"We will wait and see."
