Barnsley manager David Flitcroft heralded a new era for the club after signing his new contract at Oakwell.
The 39-year-old, his assistant Micky Mellon and first-team coach Martin Scott all put pen to paper on their respective one-year rolling contracts at a press conference.
The Tykes' new management team had been installed until the end of the season following the sacking of former boss Keith Hill at the end of December and defied the odds to keep the club in the Championship after a thrilling run-in.
"We feel we can win football matches," said Flitcroft, who won eight of his first 10 games in charge. "We've beaten some of the very best that the Championship had to offer last season.
"This season it's a different league with different teams. There are 10 teams who have parachute payments, but what we had to make right was the management team that made us successful last season and that's Micky Mellon and Martin Scott, who played a massive part in out upturn when we took over.
"I wanted to make sure these two lads got their future sorted because it is a new era, there are some things we'll be trying to do differently at the club and the way we want to manage this club is key now."
Flitcroft said discussions with the board about next season's playing budget had been on-going since the last-day draw at Huddersfield ensured another season in the second tier.
"We've signed now because things are looking right at the club. We've got to keep progressing and evolving.
"We'll get players in if they're right for Barnsley. If they're the right people for this town then we'll try and sign them. We must try and attract the right type of player.
"There have been lengthy discussions with the board about the playing budget over the last two weeks, we've not stopped since the Huddersfield game, planning and preparing."
The Reds boss has made numerous changes on and off the pitch and learned some valuable lessons since being appointed as Kenny Dalglish's successor last June.
That has led to an up-and-down campaign which will see the inconsistent Reds finish seventh irrespective of their result against QPR on Sunday at the conclusion of the Premier League season.
But while Rodgers accepts he possibly did not fully appreciate what was required when he took over he is already looking to next season with greater confidence.
"This has been a great learning curve for me this season. I probably needed it this year," he said.
"I've been in football a long time and I came here because of the challenge to get Liverpool back into the top four.
"It is a monumental challenge but it is the reason I came.
"I knew it was a big ask but it is not until you come in you really understand the total task of what needs to be achieved.
"This is a footballing institution, a worldwide football club, and you are not only managing the on-field stuff you are managing a community here and that is something I am very proud to do.
"I have needed this year to learn the real depths of this club, everything that needs to be done, and I think come the summer we will be in a much better place to put in a sustainable challenge at the top of the table.
"This season will have been a disappointing one for supporters in terms of trophies for them but they will have seen progress."
One of the harsher lessons Rodgers had to learn very quickly related to transfer activity.
As the clock ticked down towards the deadline in August he allowed Andy Carroll to go on loan to West Ham in the belief the club would tie up a deal for Clint Dempsey.
However, a disagreement over the fee, with owners Fenway Sports Group not keen to pay ?6million for a then 29-year-old, saw the move collapse and the United States international instead head to Tottenham from Fulham.
With no suitable replacement lined up Rodgers went into the first half of the season with only one senior striker in Luis Suarez and, although the Uruguay international did his best to keep the side afloat, a lack of supplementary firepower meant the side suffered.
Changes to the recruitment team were made and January reinforcements in the form of Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho and results improved.
Having strengthened his scouting network even further since then, Rodgers believes Liverpool are in much stronger position heading into this summer's window.
But he knows they have to be as they cannot afford to waste what limited budget - believed to be about ?20million plus anything he raises from sales - he has.
"It is a different club in terms of that. There is a lot more cohesion within all departments at the club," he added.
"That process just started after the (summer) window and we saw the benefits of that over the course of January.
"The scouts are doing a terrific job: they are leaving no stone unturned in order to get us the players we need to improve.
"There are no bids in for anyone yet but there is a lot of work going on off the field.
"We don't have money to waste, we really have to make sure we are getting the right types of players in.
"If we can do that we can kick on again but the start point is much better."
The future of striker Carroll will be near the top of Rodgers' agenda as soon as the season has finished.
He has been recalled to the England squad on the back of some good performances at West Ham but the Reds boss has to make a decision on the big frontman.
"Under Big Sam (Allardyce) he has done very well. We will assess that at the end of the season and take it from there," he said.
"It has been good to see the bit of form he has had towards the end of the season.
"It is a bit similar to last season where he showed a bit of form for Liverpool late on.
"The idea was for Andy to go out and get games. He wanted to play and not be sat here playing second fiddle to anyone and I commend that."
Ashley was at the club's Darsley Park training headquarters today to have lunch with the players and coaching staff ahead of Sunday's final day Premier League clash with Arsenal at St James' Park.
The atmosphere around the table might have been very different had the Magpies not secured the club's top-flight status with last weekend's 2-1 victory at relegated QPR, but as the sportswear magnate headed off by helicopter, attention was already turning to next season and what alterations need to be made to prevent a repeat.
Pardew knows the inevitable inquest is unlikely to be pleasant after a campaign of serious under-achievement for which blame will be apportioned accordingly, but asked what his message to Ashley would be, he was swift to respond.
He said: "My message is purely that we need to just find some round pegs for a couple of round holes that we need to fill in this team.
"If we get that right, I think we will be okay. But I do think we need to add a little bit more experience of the level we are at."
Finishing fifth last season gave Pardew a strong hand as he attempted to lure his summer targets, although there is a general acceptance that the club did not do enough during the closed season to give the manager the ammunition to compete on both the domestic and European fronts.
However, he remains confident he has the basis of a good side already.
Pardew said: "We have got some fantastic players here. We haven't had the consistency this year and the continuity that we had the year before.
"But without the Europa League next year, we will and if you look at our squad, we have still got some very, very good players and if we get the recruitment right, then we could be a force next year."
At least one striker will be high on Pardew's wish-list after Demba Ba's January departure for Chelsea left a huge gap in the squad despite the Magpies' best efforts both before and afterwards to sign the likes of Luuk de Jong and Loic Remy.
Pardew has made little secret in the last year or so of his interest in bringing Andy Carroll, the man Newcastle sold to Liverpool for ?35million just weeks after the 51-year-old's arrival on Tyneside, back to St James', although he was coy when questioned on the subject once again today.
He said: "He's a player that anybody in the Premier League has got to be interested in if he becomes available."
Sunday's game will see 38-year-old keeper Steve Harper play his 199th and final game for the cub he has served for 20 years with Tim Krul injured and Rob Elliot suspended, while there could be a swansong too for out-of-contract full-back Danny Simpson.
However, Pardew is hoping skipper Fabricio Coloccini will not be saying his final farewells after asking to leave the club in January for personal reasons.
Asked if there was a possibility he could yet stay, Pardew said: "I think it is, there's an opportunity for that.
"Coloccini has been a big part of getting over the line, in my opinion, so therefore my hope is that he stays at this fantastic club and I hope our fans give him that message on Sunday, that we very much want him to stay."
