Colin Todd expects next season to be even tougher than this year's campaign.
City will be tipped to mount a strong challenge in League One - and Todd stressed that point to the players before they left for their summer break.
Todd said: "If we thought it was difficult this
season, then next time will be worse. We were a bit of an unknown quantity before but now people are aware what we're about and the league is going to be just as hard.
"I think we've surprised a lot of people in terms of supporters, media and the critics. We've defied the people who wrote us off but that's gone now and we have to do even better next season.
"Every game has got to be treated on its merits like a cup final.
"Whatever team we play, we have to learn from what has happened and make sure we are mentally tuned all the time. We have to be strong and make sure that when we get into winning positions, we don't throw them away.
"It will be tough again but I know we will come through that."
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