Derby County's season came to a bittersweet end on the final day, as a 2-1 defeat to Sheffield United dashed their Championship play-off hopes. But for head coach John Eustace, the result only tells half the story.

"It's obviously disappointing not to win the game," Eustace told BBC Radio Derby, his voice carrying the weight of a season that promised so much. "But for the first hour, the players were unbelievable. We could have been three or four up in that first half—we played some really good stuff."

That early dominance, though ultimately unrewarded, gave Eustace a clear vision for the future. "That's a sign of more things to come," he said. "That's exactly what I want this team to look like going into next year."

The Rams' faithful, as ever, played their part. Despite the disappointment, thousands stayed behind at full-time to salute the players—a gesture that clearly moved their manager. "Throughout this season, this magnificent fanbase has got right behind the boys," Eustace said. "Today they were unbelievable. You can see how many people stayed back to show their support. That's amazing. That's why I came to this football club, and why I want to keep building it and pointing it in the right direction."

Looking ahead, Eustace is wasting no time. "We'll start preparing for next season straight away. We'll get the players signed up who are here. We need to keep building and bring in top quality." He pointed to Sheffield United as the benchmark. "Look at them—a fantastic team, but look at their bench and the players they can bring on. We want to be able to do that."

The message from the Derby dugout is clear: this is just the beginning. "We want to bring top players into the football club and really grow to sustain that top-six push," Eustace said. "And with a bit of luck, and if we believe in ourselves, we can get into that top two."

For Derby County, the final whistle may have blown on this season, but the work for the next one has already begun.