Canary fans may yet discover who their new skipper is for the season when the Canaries kick-off their pre-season tour of Scotland tonight at the Starks Park home of Raith Rovers.
For now, City boss Bryan Gunn was keeping Mum on the subject; the players were due to be told this week at their St Andrew's training HQ.
The new club skipper could yet lead the team out this evening. That, at least, was the original plan.
Quizzed on Friday as to whether he knew who his on-field leader would be, Gunn confirmed that a decision had been made.
“I have [made a decision],” he confirmed, with at least two candidates firmly out of the running in the shape of sometime Northern Ireland skipper Sammy Clingan and his midfield side-kick Darel Russell – both of whom are knocking around Colney waiting for their agents to ring.
Clingan has long been linked to a switch to Coventry City while Russell has been mooted as a potential makeweight in a deal to bring Preston North End winger Simon Whalley to Norfolk.
Last season's skipper Gary Doherty is another obvious choice; whether he is guaranteed a first team start following the arrival of ex-Hartlepool skipper Michael Nelson this summer is another question.
Owain Tudur Jones was touted by Welsh Under-21 boss Bryan Flynn as a future skipper of John Toshack's full international side while one-time Fakenham High School pupil Matt Gill would tick all the boxes 'Yellow and Green' blood-wise; he led Ian Crook's Reserve team out in the 6-0 win over Fakenham on Friday night.
Or perhaps Gunn hands the gig to a long-standing Canary stalwart of Adam Drury's ilk. Thus far, there has been little talk of a new left-back arriving in Norfolk. Fitness-permitting, City's longest-serving player should be guaranteed a decent run of games this season minus a Ryan Bertrand in the building.
“Matt Gill will lead the team out tonight,” said Gunn, speaking ahead of the Fakenham clash. “And Gary Doherty will lead the team out tomorrow [Dartford].
“But I know in my mind who its going to be and I think we'll name that in Scotland with the group of players together.
“We've had a few chats around the building, but I think when we're up there together it's a good bonding time and I think the leader will be named in Scotland.”
Potential clues arrived in the shape of this afternoon's line-up with Nelson, Drury, Gill and Tudur Jones all featuring in this evening's 7.30pm kick-off.
With Gunn insisting that the three games this week – St Johnstone follow on Thursday afternoon followed by Airdrie on the Saturday – will be very much based on a 'mix and match' approach as he looks to get everyone at least 90 minutes under their belts, it is all-too easy to read too much into the manager's line-up.
However, the Canary boss has already spoken of how well his new, first-time pros have settled into the senior set-up and tonight sees Welsh Under-19 centre-half David Stephens earn his reward with a start alongside Nelson.
Michael Spillane – one half of the Luton Two – also gets a chance to make that right-back berth his own as Jon Otsemobor is handed a more forward role in the hole that Lee Croft left.
The Republic of Ireland Under-19 star found himself at right-back for much of his Hatters loan spell and, indeed, played there at Wembley in Luton's Johnstone Paints Trophy final success.
Tall, rangy and generally uncompromising in the tackle, Spillane might not be Roberto Carlos and may – eventually – switch back inside at either centre-half or centre-midfield, but the hope would surely be that even now the 20-year-old could do a solid enough job at full-back.
First and foremost as the Canaries find their feet in League One, Gunn has to make the Canaries difficult to beat and no-one will take too many liberties with Spillane. The kid has an edge to his game.
The other surprise inclusion is Matty Pattison who, presumeably, will fill the left-hand berth. Linked to a switch to Blackpool this summer, the Glenn Roeder signing may yet be keeping the place warm for either a Simon Lappin or a Wes Hoolahan. Or, indeed, a Paul McVeigh should he do enough to win another Canary deal.
The biggest hole in City's 2009-2010 armour remains, of course, alongside Jamie Cureton where tonight Gunn gives ex-Barcelona B striker Goran Maric the chance to impress.
The 25-year-old is one of three strike triallists in the City camp with ex-Leeds United star Michael Bridges and one-time Rangers starlet Chris Craig also out to win a full-time deal after being released by their respective former employers this summer.
City: Steer, Spillane, Drury, Gill, Nelson, Stephens, Otsemobor, Tudur Jones, Maric, Cureton, Pattison. Subs to be confirmed.
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