JIM Magilton will do a Fabio Capello in his quest to find the Blues next skipper.

Derek Davis

JIM Magilton will do a Fabio Capello in his quest to find the Blues next skipper.

Alex Bruce wore the captain's armband in the 2-0 win at Brentford on Friday night but Magilton will give the honour to someone else at Cliftonville tonight.

David Wright, Tommy Miller, Gareth McAuley and Richard Naylor are among the leading contenders, while any new signing could also come into the equation.

Magilton, a former Town skipper himself, is searching for the man to lead out the team when the new season starts following Jason De Vos' retirement.

He said: “I'll do a Capello. Why not? Every team needs four or five leaders and Alex had a taste of it as captain but we will throw the arm band around.

“That is not being discourteous or disrespectful it is just about finding the right people to take it.

“Alex is a natural leader but then so are one or two others so we will hand it around during pre-season and make a decision going into the first game.”

There is also the possibility that Magilton will choose a club captain, probably the club's longest-serving player Naylor, and a team captain.

Magilton's choice could be broadened by the arrival of new players during this week's trip to Belfast as he closes in on a new signing.

He said: “We may have a couple of players join us during the week. We are at advanced stages with one or two but until they are actually in the door we won't say anything.

“They have not travelled with the main party but could be in for the Thursday and Saturday games.”

Town start their programme against Cliftonville tonight with both sides showing some caution as the Irish league side play Copenhagen in the UEFA Cup on Thursday.

Magilton said: “They will be wary of injuries while we will be looking to avoid injuries because we have tough pre-season games at Gillingham and Brighton and at home with West Ham and West Brom.”