After Saturday's 1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday, Adkins admitted his side are now bracing themselves for relegation to League One.
He said: "We needed to win, we were well aware of that. We've taken four points off Sheffield Wednesday this season, but we needed to win."
Although he hasn't conceeded relegation as a certainty, Adkins is looking to the future and has already set his sights on next season.
He added: "Mathematically we're not down, so we don't concede anything, but we look to flourish and move forward from here. We've really enjoyed the period of time this season. It's not over, but we know it's a huge ask.
"We have a young, hungry group of players that are trying to improve and move on. We have to try and be as positive as we can because that's what I am."
"If we can be in a position where we're fluctuating between League One and the Championship, then we'll enjoy the times. We need to keep the club moving forward"