Opportunities for impressive youngsters at 
But since the day Gary Mills took over here, now over three months ago, he has yet to stake a claim for the progress with the youth side than his predecessor and, in the eyes of some people’s eyes, the ‘down-sizing’ at the commended Notts County Centre of Excellence has meant a step backwards in the upcoming of the new David Beckham’s of this world – let alone future players!
And further from this, the shock releases of Willis Francis and Danny Bostock will not have stamped
On the contrary, however, two lads – well, young men – who will have no personal grievances will be two of the YTS products in the form of David McGoldrick and, more recently, Kelvin Wilson.
Wilson, the first-choice youth and reserve team centre-half, made a huge leap into the thoughts of Gary Mills and his first team fringes after, within the last few days, being handed his first senior squad number, making his Notts bow AND winning the special praise from the gaffer himself.
But this is not to say that
The 18-year-old, who’s been immense in his 13 games for the Magpies’ reserve outfit this season, let alone his numerous youth team run-outs, has spent many a Saturday putting on solid displays for the Magpies’ youth side in the morning before collecting the training cones of the first team’s match preparations in the afternoon.
But those days may finally be over for Wilson as, with the contracts of eleven senior professionals due to expire over the summer and unless Mills makes major additions to the ranks over the close-season, Wilson may well gain significant ground on the haul to his regular first team aspirations with the exodus of Fenton and Barras looking evermore likely.
And although his 23-minute cameo was hardly turning up trees on the North-east coast, the prospect of Wilson and the like making the grade for the senior side, albeit in dark depths of the Football League’s basement, is one the Notts faithful should welcome with open arms as the rise of G.M’s crop continues.