Jack Wilshere insisted he is "more motivated than ever" after shrugging off Luton's narrow League One playoff miss.
While fifth-placed Bolton now face Bradford for a place at Wembley despite losing 3-2 to the Hatters, Wilshere's side finished seventh, one point outside the top six as they were denied by Stevenage's late winner against Wigan.
"We will be hungry for more next season," said the Luton boss, whose team finished their campaign unbeaten in their last 11 league outings.
"I have had the time of my life, especially the last couple of months when players found momentum.
"Had we had got in the playoffs no one would have wanted to play us. There is a good feeling and I am more motivated than ever.
"I know so much more about this league, more about the club and the demands of the fans.
"Work will start straightaway to find ways to get out of this division next season."
Despite the incident happening 190 miles away, Wilshere was angry that Stevenage's last-gasp goal to secure a top-six finish had been allowed to stand.
"There is probably more to come from that in the next few days from a lot of clubs," he added.
"Ultimately, that goal kept some clubs out of the playoffs and an opportunity to get to the Championship and what that means with financial gains.
"We are in League One next year and I have meetings next week about our budget and who do I need to cut. That's people's livelihood at stake due to one decision.
"It's not been good enough across the season and it has got to change."
Jordan Clark's 14th-minute penalty -- with Wanderers claiming there had been a double touch -- put Luton in front and they hit the goal frame three times in the first period through Emilio Lawrence, Isaiah Jones and Mads Andersen.
Yet Bolton led 2-1 thanks to Jordi Osei-Tutu's equaliser and Ibrahim Cissoko's strike in stoppage time.
Josh Keeley kept Luton in the game after the break thanks to a double save from Amario Cozier-Duberry while Mason Burstow also struck an upright for the home team.
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Hakeem Odoffin headed in a 62nd-minute equaliser and substitute Shayden Morris scrambled in a winner four minutes into stoppage time.
Nahki Wells also missed a later penalty, though news of Stevenage's success had already filtered through.
Bolton boss Steven Schumacher said of his side's first home defeat of 2026: "I am disappointed to lose the game especially in that manner.
"We have to take it on the chin and get ready to go on. We have been on the right side of those deciders but this time we weren't.
"The game should have been over at 2-1; we had two or three big chances to get a third goal."
On the two-legged showdown with the Bantams he said: "We have had three games against Bradford this season and they have all been good games.
"Last week's was a high quality one and we expect nothing different come Saturday."