"I don't think any team has had more chances than us to get promoted," said Steve Coppell.
"We've gone nine games without a win at home and if we'd won three of them we might be contemplating the Premier League.
"I can't understand our home form and it was something I couldn't solve which is what has cost us promotion.
"I apologise to the fans. A manager is judged on results and if I feel we have had the opportunities to go up and we haven't done then it's my fault."
Burnley manager Owen Coyle was naturally delighted but still cautious as his side has not won anything yet.
"The prize is a place in the Premier League and that is what everyone wants but there is no place for celebration yet," he said.
"We recognise we have not achieved our goal yet. We have earned ourselves a chance against Sheffield United which will be a formidable hurdle.
"But we have now played 60 games, used the least amount of players in the Championship, our average attendance is in the bottom three, our turnover is in the bottom four but we put ourselves on the line for each other and that is what this team is all about.
"We have gifted individuals but we achieve nothing without our work ethic."