For Matt Bloomfield, the end of last season left its pain.
“There was a lot of time spent looking in the mirror," the Luton Town boss tells Sky Sports. "Asking what I could have done better, what we did well, and what we need to build on.
"You have to question yourself first. Could we as a staff have done anything differently to put more points on the board earlier?
“Ultimately, there was a big job ahead, and we didn’t realise the length and the severity of it until we got in the building.
"There was a lot we needed to tidy up to become a winning environment again, which we got to eventually. The feeling and expectation was to win games."
A disastrous final-day defeat at West Brom saw Luton relegated to League One, just 12 months after they had dropped out of the Premier League. Survival was in their hands, but it all went wrong at The Hawthorns back in May.
“It was good to reflect," Bloomfield says. "Obviously, it was very raw after the final game.
“The last quarter of the season, we were in play-off form. Only two teams earned more points than us in the final 10 games.
"So there was sadness, yes, but also something to build on. Feelings were raw, but we had to move quickly. We had to put plans in place and move on.
"You have to be willing to reflect, improve and try and get better. But more than anything, we had to make plans and execute them. It was about evolving, finding a freshness and an energy for the new season.”
Fast turnaround as preparations began
Bloomfield had only joined Luton in January and hadn't planned to be preparing for life in League One again so soon, having left Wycombe for Kenilworth Road.
But from virtually the moment relegation was confirmed, discussions began for 2025/26.
“Pretty much straight after the game, we were back at work,” Bloomfield says. “Gary [Sweet, Luton CEO] and I met on the bank holiday Monday.
"We had six hours together going over the squad, reviewing where we were, and making plans for the summer. We did not wait.
"We had to assess who might leave, who we wanted to keep, who we were willing to lose, and who we absolutely didn’t want to lose. While you have threats to your squad to be taken elsewhere, players haven’t left until bids are received and deals are done. So we also had to be ready with replacements if and when needed.
“It’s been very drawn out and it’s still ongoing because the window is still open. But we’re pleased with the players we’ve brought in and we want to finish the window strongly.”
The recruitment plan has been angled towards experience. George Saville, Nahki Wells, Hakeem Odoffin and the returning Kal Naismith provide it in abundance. The latter has been named club captain.
“We knew we needed new leaders," says Bloomfield. Luton have already lost skipper Carlton Morris, goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski and full-back Alfie Doughty this summer. "Players with experience who could complement the characters already in the squad.
"Bringing in someone like Sav, who has had a fantastic career, was a huge boost. He’s a real leader. Nahki Wells' pedigree speaks for itself. And bringing Kal Naismith back permanently, someone with a huge rapport with this club, made sense. Making him captain felt right.”
Those additions joined a strong core. “We have big characters already. Jordan Clark, Liam Walsh, James Shea. But we felt the need to add fresh voices. We’re pleased we got that business done early.”
A new season and new belief
Heading into their opening game of the season, as they kick off the League One campaign at home to AFC Wimbledon on Friday night, live on Sky Sports, Bloomfield is confident that his side is looking forward with optimism, rather than backwards with trepidation.
“There is a freshness, a hunger in the group,” Bloomfield says. “It feels enthusiastic. We’re not taking anything for granted. There will be challenges, but we’re excited.
“We spent the first few weeks of pre-season not even thinking about last season. It was purely about how we improve and what we need to do better.
“It’s only recently that I’ve been reflecting publicly on what happened. But we’ve always been focused on how we improve, how we implement our football philosophy, and how we get the players on the same page as quickly as possible.
“That’s always the challenge when you put a new group together. How quickly can you mould them into a cohesive unit? How can you get them aligned with our way of playing, both in and out of possession, and translate that into performances and results?
“We want to play front-foot football. Energetic, enthusiastic, structured. We’re not trying to over-complicate anything or be clever. We believe in a certain way of doing things. You need a cohesive group that’s fully bought in, trying to win matches as efficiently as possible.”
He is also aware of the expectations of the club in this league. They are comfortable favourites heading into the new campaign.
“There will be a lot more emphasis on us in this league than in previous years," Bloomfield says.
"But that’s something we need to embrace. Nothing will change in our approach. We won’t become over-elaborate. We’ll just stick to what we believe in and try to do it the best we can.”