Tommy Fraser has praised the man management skills of Micky Adams.

The youth team product has worked his way back into first team contention and Fraser is grateful for the way Adams has treated him since the departure of his mentor, Dean Wilkins.

“I obviously knew Dean Wilkins for a long time,” Fraser said. “I thought he did a great job and was unlucky in a sense but that’s football. You can’t dwell on it, you have to move on.

“The gaffer has come in and he has been superb, perfect. He has kept the boys going by having a laugh but he has got that serious side as well, which is nice.

“The boys know when to be serious and hopefully we can come up with a few results for him.”

Fraser made his first start of the season in the Carling Cup upset of Manchester City, then retained his place on the right side of midfield in last Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Northampton.

“The gaffer has been great with me,” he said. “I feel like I’ve been playing well. I felt like I was playing well pre-season.

“He went with a bit of experience early on but I played quite well in the reserves and he pulled me to one side and told me I was close to breaking into the team.

“He has been brilliant towards me in keeping you confident when you are not playing.”

Fraser’s target now is to emulate Tommy Elphick. Other youth team products like Dean Cox and Joel Lynch, who is currently on loan at Nottingham Forest, have been unable to command a regular place under Adams but Elphick has kept his spot in the centre of defence.

Fraser said: “The first year (2006-2007), when I made 35 or 40 appearances, Tommy didn’t play very much but he has come in since then and hasn’t looked back, which is great.

“He has really produced from the second he got into the team. It would be nice to do what Tommy is doing and be in the team every week but to do that I have got to set my standards quite high."