HIS position demands a selfish streak, but that does not stop Ollie Palmer supporting the collective cause.
For much of this season, the Mansfield Town striker has had to do that from the bench.
Opportunities to do his bit on the pitch have been limited, with newcomer Rakish Bingham having cemented his place alongside Matt Rhead, and Alex Fisher also battling for a spot.
Palmer is the only one among that quartet yet to find the net this term, with Bingham already having three goals to his name.
Forcing his way into the first team then, is tough, but is certainly not for the want of trying.
"I'm happy with how I've been training in the last few weeks," said the 22-year-old, who scored for the reserves against Scunthorpe United last week. "I feel sharp.
"The gaffer (Paul Cox) has pulled me in and said he's pleased with how I'm training; I'm working hard and trying to get in to that starting XI.
"Overall, off that pitch, I'm pretty happy with how things are going. I just need to get on it.
"When you do get on that pitch, you've got to try to take your opportunity, whether it's for five minutes, 20 minutes or 45 minutes.
"That's just the way football is. It's a cruel game sometimes. You've just got to take your opportunities when they arise."
Palmer is trying not to let his lack of action affect him in the meantime, expressing determination to keep his spirits up.
"You always want to impress," he said.
"When you're not in the starting XI, you feel like you've got to try to do that something extra.
"You've just got to try to remain confident and do what you need to do.
"But you've also not got to overdo it, in a way – not over-work, not over-run and do things that can actually make you look worse.
"You've just got to remain focused, know your roles and responsibilities and stick to your guns.
"As a forward, confidence definitely comes with goals and playing games.
"Obviously I haven't had a run of games yet this season, so I think my confidence would definitely grow with games.
"But I've been training well in the last few weeks, I feel good, I feel ready and I'm just waiting for my opportunity."
While he does so, the Stags front man remains fully behind his team-mates.
Asked if he felt a little frustrated to see Bingham brought in last month, he responded: "Not at all.
"You want the team to do well. As a club, we want to get promoted, we want to win trophies and we want to bring as much talent through as we can.
"Rakish is a great footballer and adds another string to our bow.
"We want to win games, we want to win trophies and we want to get promoted, so every little helps."
If they do wish to be successful, Mansfield know they cannot afford too many performances like last week's 3-0 defeat at Stevenage.
That result dropped Cox's men down to 11th and means they have still yet to put together a winning run lasting longer than two games this season.
"That's something we need to work on as a group of players and as a team, to be more consistent," Palmer said.
"We need to try to put together more consistent runs and try to take all our home games by the scruff of the neck and pick up points.
"We've picked up quite a few wins at home; it's our away form we need to work on.
"Last season we were quite good away from home and we need to get back to that.
"It's an inconsistency within the whole league.
"You could be in the play-offs one minute and the relegation zone two games later.
"Looking at ourselves, as a club, we know if we can keep consistent we'll shoot right up the league and be in a play-off position.
"We know we didn't put in a good performance on Saturday. It wasn't acceptable, to be quite frank.
"We've got to put that right and try to get three points at home."
Kickstarting a sequence of successful results is the target against Accrington Stanley, at the One Call Stadium, this afternoon.
Last term, late goals cost Mansfield against the same opponents.
Two in added time saw them edged out 3-2 at home, while a last minute penalty earned Stanley a 1-1 draw in the return.
Palmer and his team-mates are eager to get their own back.
"I don't think our performances were the best against them last season, so that's something to work on and try to do better today," he added.
"You take note of the games you've lost and you want to get revenge, maybe, if you like.
"It's a chance today, to put those results right."
