NOTTS County boss Keith Curle believes his squad has developed such a unity and spirit in their quest for promotion that the changing room can almost police itself.
The Magpies are fifth in League One after 17 games and are unbeaten away from home since Curle took over back in February, ahead of travelling to struggling Scunthorpe tomorrow afternoon.
It all comes after the manager rebuilt his squad in the summer with a series of new additions, despite only missing out on the play-offs on goal difference last time.
But he feels the team bond is now plain to see, with a tight dressing room full of different personalities.
It is already evident on the likes of Twitter, where Gary Liddle, Neal Bishop and Alan Judge are at the heart of the banter.
And Curle insists that could prove vital as they look to build on a solid first third to the campaign and climb into the Championship.
The manager said: "You never fully know when you put a new squad together what will happen. You do your background checks on the players you bring in to find out about their characters and the pleasing thing for me is seeing it come together.
"The team spirit, the work ethic – it growing by the week. It does not happen overnight, but it is nice to see it coming together with the lads.
"We are almost getting to the stage where the changing room is, in a way, self-managed. They are demanding a high level from each other and everyone has an understanding of the personalities within the squad.
"They all know who needs an arm around each other, who responds to a kick up the backside. They know the way to get the best out of each other."
Notts are three points off the automatic promotion places and Curle believes the division is now taking its true shape.
"I looked at the beginning of the season and said judge us after 16 games, a third of the season gone," he said.
"That is when I thought the table would take some sort of shape.
"We are up there and I would say probably 12 to 14 teams are in and around that shake up."
