Jamie Michie reckons the Inverurie Locos squad have to prove their worth to new manager Dean Donaldson.
The Railwaymen return to action for the first time in two-and-a-half weeks when they face Wick Academy at Harmsworth Park this weekend.
Since being appointed on October 13 Donaldson has only had two games in charge.
As he assesses the squad at his disposal, the experienced Michie says the players will need to show they meet the standard required.
The 32-year-old, who can play in central midfield or at right-back, said: “It’s like starting again in a sense with the new management team.
“If you get the jersey it’s up to you to keep it, you have to earn it with performances and working hard in training.
“Ultimately it’s a squad game and if you’re not starting you can sulk about it.
“But you might have to go on after 10 minutes and I’ve always had that thought process.
“I’ve always been upset if I’m not playing, but you have to back the boys that are playing and be ready to go on if required.
“If you’re sulking then you won’t be in a position to put in a good performance if you end up going on.
“There will be reasons why you’re not playing and it’s up to you to win the shirt back.
“There might be a lot of that for us as a squad over the next few weeks.
Jamie Michie ‘as hungry as ever’
“We want to start winning games and try to finish as high as we can this season, there’s also still the Aberdeenshire Cup to play for.
“But we’re pretty much playing for our futures at Inverurie.
“The manager will be looking at the squad, some boys will get taken along for the ride and some boys might get left behind and that’s the way it goes.
“I’m as hungry as I’ve ever been to keep playing, it’s up to me, as it is for all the boys, to nail down a place and try to keep it.”