Adam Chicksen has explained that Sunday's FA Trophy defeat to Maidstone has provided hope for players within Notts County's academy as a pathway to the first-team becomes clearer.
Luke Williams named three under-19's starlets on the bench for the fixture at Meadow Lane last weekend, with Madou Cisse and Charlie Gill making their Magpies debuts in the penalty shootout loss to George Elokobi's side.
The pair impressed during their first professional outing for Notts, contributing to the comeback that took the game to penalties following their introduction into the action.
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The Zimbabwean was replaced by Gill just after the hour-mark, and the 31-year-old insisted that he will use his experience to ensure that they use Sunday's taste of first-team action as a platform to embark on successful careers of their own.
"It was brilliant for him, and it gives hope for the lads coming through," explained Chicksen.
"If they don't see hope or any chances of breaking into the first team then that hope is not going to push you and thrive you to go and get that opportunity.
"For me, it was brilliant to come off and give him the opportunity to come and see the look in his eyes when he came on, it was a great feeling for me.
"It sparks that feeling of why you love the game and why you play it every day and train every day because he is at the start of his journey and he's got a taste of what it feels like.
"But the taste is only the beginning and as long as I am here, I am going to help them and push them every day to make sure they make a career of it because they have only got a snippet of the required work that it takes."
Chicksen's involvement in the Magpies' rise to the summit of the National League has been revolutionary since Williams' arrival, adding to his best goal-scoring tally in professional football with another strike against the Stones, netting eight in all competitions this season.
It was the first time since Notts' 2-0 win away to Eastleigh that he had found the back of the net, but Chicksen surprisingly admitted he was happy it took him that long to add to his tally this campaign.
"I am happy that it took me eight games because I found myself becoming more selfish with the way I was playing.
"I was chasing the goals and I feel that isn't how I wanted to play because I want to play for the team and I want to play in the position I need to be.
"I felt myself breaking at the wrong time or giving the ball back when I could have taken it in a different way out wide, so for me, it was nice that it just happened rather than me chasing it.
"It allowed me to play properly for the team as I should be and it was great to get back on the scoresheet and in the way that I wanted to do it."
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