Owain Tudur Jones believes Cardiff City were too good for League One and has praised a campaign which sees the Bluebirds return to the Championship at the first attempt.
Cardiff were relegated from the second tier 12 months ago, finishing bottom of the table with just nine wins from 46 games.
With one match remaining this season, they have 27 wins and 10 draws having secured promotion with three games to spare.
“It’s ended up being fairly easy for Cardiff from the perspective that they’ve been too good for the division,” former Wales international Tudur Jones told BBC Radio Cymru’s Dros Frecwast.
“The hard work had been done in the earlier months. They would have loved to have won the league, but it doesn’t matter, the important thing was promotion.”
Cardiff led the table for much of the season but will finish second behind a Lincoln City side who hit the 100-point marker with a 4-3 win over Wycombe on the penultimate weekend – the Imps having clinching the title four days earlier.
“When the first kick comes in the Championship next season, no one will be worrying if they won the league or not,” added Tudor Jones.
Brian Barry-Murphy’s side round off their one season in League One at Mansfield Town on Saturday (15:00 BST) having signed off their home campaign with a 5-1 demolition of bottom side Northampton Town at Cardiff City Stadium.
“They’ve won promotion with a young and exciting team,” Tudor Jones continued.
“They’ll need to add a few players over the summer to be stronger to compete, but it’s a highly successful season for Cardiff.”