Manager Alex Neil refused to get carried away after guiding Norwich back into the Premier League and securing a £130 million promotion jackpot with a 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough at Wembley which continued his own meteoric rise in the dugout.
Almost 12 months ago to the day, it was Neil who masterminded Hamilton's promotion to the Scottish Premiership, and following his appointment in January the unheralded Scotsman has presided over a remarkable run which took the Norfolk club back into the top six and culminated in what was a comfortable victory over Boro in the Championship playoff final, with first-half goals from Cameron Jerome and Nathan Redmond.
Despite the magnitude of the achievement in such a short space of time, with 17 victories from 25 games, the 33-year-old intends to stay grounded.
"The goal was to gain promotion. We aimed for automatic, it was difficult but we got close, so then it was important that we remained focused," said Neil. "The thing that drives me is letting people down. The fact that Norwich showed faith in me giving me the job, being so young, a lot was made of that, they showed plenty of courage.
"So I am pleased I have made everybody happy, that means more than anything else and we have sent those fans home happy.
"You see [majority-shareholder] Delia [Smith] on the pitch at the end and it's special. It was about making sure my family is there enjoying the day because the last thing I would want to do is lose and go home with my kids crying."
Neil added: "People have made a lot of the last year, telling me I was at Arbroath in front of 700 fans at the start of the season, but it is not a huge concern to me.
"I set goals and am really determined to achieve them, whether it is Hamilton or Norwich. I don't get overawed by anyone or anyplace."
Neil, though, knows next season will be nothing like he has ever experienced. The Scot, who is still working on his UEFA pro-licence said: "I am not silly, I know how big the task is.
"It is going to be extremely different and I am under no illusions about how difficult it is going to be, but we have our goals once we get there about what to do, so hopefully it will be enough."
Celebrity chef Smith, who has been majority shareholder at Carrow Road since 1996, joked that Neil should be knighted after their playoff win.
"I said to Stephen Fry when the whistle had gone he should be knighted, you wait, he'll get one. I'm with the fans on that one," she told Press Association Sport. "We are just bowled over by him. He is incredible. He is a lovely man, he's intelligent, self-confident and he doesn't have an ego --and that's quite hard.
"He is so cool and so calm and it looked like how they were playing. It was amazingly wonderful.
"I'm feeling overjoyed and the day belongs to our supporters. They have been amazing all the time I have been a director, when we got relegated and went down to League One they still bought the tickets and we still sold out. They are just the best supporters in the world and I am so happy for them.
"Going through relegation [last season] was terrible and we also went through and did this and lost [the playoff final to Birmingham in 2002]. Although we had a wonderful day it was painful losing so today has been extra special. I still can't believe it now."
And Canaries captain Russell Martin suffered relegation last year but believes, under Neil, the squad are better equipped to stay in the top flight.
"This is the best squad we've had since I've been at the club. We will only strengthen that in the summer. We're ready and I think the manager is as well. We'll go up and have a right go," he said. "Last year there wasn't enough enjoyment. Next year is about trying to enjoy it and staying in the league, like we did the first year we got promoted [in 2011].
"Successful teams have to have that togetherness and the manager has harnessed that and it's grown. Hopefully that'll stand us in good stead."