Adam Chicksen: Luke Williams’ Influence Vital in Decision to Remain with Magpies

Adam Chicksen has recently spoken out about the impact that Notts County boss Luke Williams had on his decision to extend his stay at Meadow Lane. Earlier this week, the Magpies defender signed a new two-year deal with the club, following an exceptional season in which he netted a career-best 11 goals in all competitions.

Chicksen’s performance this season has been nothing short of remarkable, with the defender scoring more goals than he has ever managed in the entirety of his professional career. It’s clear that Williams’ influence has played a significant role in Chicksen’s decision to remain at the club for another two years.

The future looks bright for both Chicksen and Notts County, with the defender’s new contract signalling his commitment to the club and its ambitions. With Williams at the helm and Chicksen on the pitch, fans can look forward to more exciting performances and hopefully even more success in the seasons to come.

"It was massive," explained the 31-year-old on the impact the current Notts boss in committing his future to the club for another two years.

"The style that he brings to the environment, everything that he has brought is so valued to how I live my life and how I act and treat everyone, he has very similar core values to myself.

"It makes you want to play for him, he is a great person not just a great head coach, so it makes you want to work and play harder.

"He has set up space for all of the younger lads to flourish and for me, it gives me so much energy seeing that. Being in my early 30s it has given me so much energy seeing so many lads improving in such a short amount of time, it just shows his passion for the game - he's doing a great job."

Chicksen has been a key component of the Magpies’ success this season, consistently providing a goal threat and delivering tireless performances on the left-hand side. The Zimbabwean is predicted to be among the top contenders for league and club awards at the end of the season.

Before their most recent game against Maidstone, Chicksen had started 43 of 44 games this campaign. However, he was given a rest for the journey to the Gallagher Stadium, with Frank Vincent filling in as wing-back and making his first start for the club in the National League this season.

The 24-year-old has made a strong impression since returning from his loan spell with Aldershot, adapting to a position he is familiar with having made his National League debut for Torquay at left-back. His tireless efforts and energy as a substitute have earned him the admiration of Magpies fans and Chicksen himself.

"He's done brilliantly to come back in and be so willing and open to learning and being moved into a new position and having no arrogance, or no feelings of disappointment about being moved into a different position, but seeing it as an opportunity.

"He has been learning and improving, asking me questions along the way and being open to putting the shirt back on and feeling no disappointment about having to go out on loan and learn so many more techniques about himself, to come back and apply them you can see the progress.

"That is someone willing to learn and someone willing to improve, and the manager has seen that and given him a chance and he has been brilliant in the last few weeks in training, and that's why as a team, me being in a similar position, it's not me coming out of the team and I need to feel anger towards him, to see him work so hard and to go in, we all support each other and that is how we are going to get to that collective position of success."

Last month, Vincent referred to Chicksen as a ‘role model’ and emphasised the influence he had on both himself and the rest of his team-mates.

Chicksen, along with Sam Slocombe, Connell Rawlinson and Jim O’Brien, are viewed as the more seasoned members of this current group of players. The Magpies defender underlined the importance of imparting his own experiences to his team-mates and those in the academy to sustain the success fans have enjoyed this season.

"It's massively important - they are going to look towards us for guidance and if we don't pass on our knowledge, what is the point of me carrying on in this game?

"Because if you can't pass on your knowledge to youngsters and help them to take that further and into the next generation of football, you're doing a real injustice to the next generation.

"If you don't pass on stuff that you have learned, for them to take it further it's not going to keep the football moving in the direction that's beneficial.

"I'm happy to pass on my knowledge and happy to show every day, and they have to open to it, and they are learning, and you are seeing the results from that."

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