Cardiff boss Dave Jones felt his team had been harshly treated after missing out on the chance of promotion to the Premier League. City were defeated 3-2 by Blackpool in the Championship play-off final at Wembley, and Jones felt a free-kick awarded against his team in the build-up to a Charlie Adam strike was harshly awarded.

Jones told Sky Sports: "No matter whether you think this or that or whether it's a foul or not a foul, when it happens you've just got to say well done to them and that's what I've got to do.

"I just think it's harsh, the handball for the free-kick. The lad's stuck a great goal away but we could have done better. You can't take the lead and then (let) them go up the other end and score.

"Well done to them, we have to swallow it and we've got to move on."

Jones remained gracious in defeat, though, and offered his congratulations to counterpart Holloway, adding: "I wish Ollie all the very best. He's earned it, he's got there and I wish him all the very, very best. He's a good friend of mine and well done to him."

The Bluebirds cause was not helped by the loss of Jay Bothroyd to injury early into the tie, and the manager felt the departure had affected his side's chances.

He went on: "It's not a case of that (going ahead twice). We'll just sift through the debris over the next few weeks and have a look at certain things.

"It doesn't matter how they get there, what they do - it's just well done to Blackpool and we go again.

"We have to - there's nothing else you can do. It's just a little bit hard to swallow when you lose a game, certainly a final, the dressing room is devastated.

"You've got to have a bit of dignity and you've got to say well done to the winning team no matter how they've done it or whatever.

"It's a big effect for us (losing Bothroyd) because he is pivotal to what we do. It probably changed the game for us but we didn't have it, so you got on with others."