Colchester United midfielder David Fox hopes his FA Cup performance will lead to regular first-team action.
The 26-year-old had been a first-team regular under previous U's boss Paul Lambert but has found his chances limited under Aidy Boothroyd.
Saturday's 4-0 defeat of Bromley was his first game since September.
"I can help the team and add something it, but it's just up to the manager to give me a chance and once he does I have to take it," he told BBC Essex.
"Whether that [the Bromley game] was enough to get a game next week, I don't know, but hopefully I've put something in his mind.
"It's been very frustrating. I've had to be really be patient and try to be as professional as I can, because it would have been easy to let my head drop."
Fox added manager Boothroyd had been open with him and had explained why he had not been playing.
"Fair play to him, he pulled me aside, he didn't have to, and explained the situation and that was it," he said.
"He's the manager, he makes the decisions and I can't do much about that - I've just had to get my head down and wait."
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