Brighton defender Liam Rosenior has targeted automatic promotion next season after their play-off agony.
The Seagulls missed out on a top-two finish on goal difference and on Monday night crashed out in the play-off semi-finals to Sheffield Wednesday.
Trailing 2-0 from the first leg, Brighton threatened a comeback when Lewis Dunk tucked in Anthony Knockaert's free-kick.
But Wednesday grabbed a 1-1 draw on the night, and a 3-1 aggregate victory, when Ross Wallace's far-post cross flew straight in.
Rosenior pointed to the example of Knockaert's former club Leicester, who suffered play-off agony in 2013 but went up as champions the following season - and have not looked back since.
"It's hard to take positives when you've given so much and don't get what you quite deserve," he said. "But what we have done is built a basis for this club going forward, and to be successful in years to come.
"I have been involved in play-off defeats before, I've been involved in not winning on the last day to go up before, and it stays with you. What it does is motivate you.
"Look at Leicester. They missed out in the play-offs, Anthony missed a penalty at Watford and the following season they won the league with nearly 100 points.
"That will be our aim next season. We want to go up next year and this will drive us on to be stronger and better."
Instead Wednesday boss Carlos Carvalhal is taking his side to Wembley, something he has been dreaming about since he was a youngster in Portugal.
He said: "When I was a boy we used to watch the cup finals at Wembley.
"When I got the chance to come to England I never thought in my first year that I would go to Wembley.
"It has been an ambition and something I have dreamed of."
Source: PA
