Few predicted that Burton Albion's home form would be the thing to relegate them out of the Championship.
But after Nigel Clough's side endured a 17-game, seven-month run without a victory at the Pirelli Stadium last season, it is hard to argue that those home struggles ultimately led to the Brewers' return to League One.
That miserable sequence of results began with a 4-0 humbling at the hands of Aston Villa on September 26.
A nervous energy became so familiar at the Pirelli by the time of the 17th game, a 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough, that there was almost a sense of inevitability when Britt Assombalonga denied Albion victory in that clash with an injury-time header from all of a yard out.
It got to the stage where Albion began to discuss the importance of ending their home hoodoo if just to ensure it did not roll over into a new season and stretch to nearly an entire year.
They did that in memorable fashion, defeating neighbours Derby County 3-1 in their penultimate Pirelli clash of the 2017-18 campaign, thanks to goals from Liam Boyce, Luke Murphy and Lucas Akins.
Stephen Bywater also saved Matej Vydra's late penalty.
As if a pressure had been lifted, Burton's next home game saw them produce one of their best performances of the season in a 2-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers.
Burton Albion catch-up
Bolton ultimately got their revenge on that dramatic final day.
But despite the Brewers' relegation, it should not undermine the importance of those late-season victories against the Rams and the Wanderers.
Jake Buxton reckons as much.
"We also think that we can play, and it's important we got those couple of results at home at the back-end of last season, which is going to put us in good stead for the new season," said the Albion skipper after signing a new contract in the week.
"Because we need to have good home form if we are going to challenge to get back into the Championship."
That much is clear.
If the Brewers are to battle for a top-six spot next season, they must rediscover that confident, ruthless streak on home soil that catapulted them into the second tier and helped keep them there in 2016-17.
Their first opportunity do to that will come on the opening day, against Rochdale, who narrowly avoided relegation last season.
And Clough's players will head into that clash without a winless run hanging over them - something which clearly affected their performances at stages in 2017-18.
The majority of the 13 losses they suffered during that seven-month period were disappointingly similar from an Albion perspective.
Close first halves, often shaded by the Brewers, gave way to a second 45 in which the visitors grew in dominance, forcing Burton back and eventually wearing down their defence in the final 20 minutes as nerves grew.
Inevitably, such repeated blows hit the confidence of the Burton players and impacted on the atmosphere among Brewers supporters too.
The intensity on and off the field returned for those Derby and Bolton triumphs, though, and it will be needed from the start of the new campaign as they look to hit the ground running.
When they take to the field against Rochdale on August 4, there will be an expectation for Albion to start as they mean to go on.
Depending on what happens with the squad over the next six weeks, there may be a little pressure for them to make something of a statement to their League One rivals too.
But whatever the feelings for the game, the Brewers will certainly thrive on knowing there is no horrendous run to be put to bed from the previous campaign.
The onus will be on the players to make sure any such sequence does not repeat itself in League One.
