‘Safe hands’ - Paul Heckingbottom on new Preston North End captain Ali McCann

Ali McCann and Lewis Gibson have been confirmed as the new captain and vice captain of Preston North End.

The captaincy role has been vacant since Ben Whiteman’s move to Wrexham last week.

After Saturday’s Carabao Cup first round victory over Huddersfield Town, manager Paul Heckingbottom said he hadn’t made a decision on his replacement but said there are many ‘strong, good personalities’ in the squad.

Shortly after McCann and Gibson were handed their new responsibilities on Thursday morning, Heckingbottom spoke highly of them in his latest press conference previewing the opening game of the Championship season, away to Bolton Wanderers.

Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire: “We spoke to the lads today, Ali's the new club captain and Gibbo is vice-captain. So, yeah, safe hands, definitely.

“I think Ali epitomises most of, if not all, the good things that have been going on at Preston before I was here [and] while I've been here. As a person, his characteristics he shows on the pitch, I think everyone can relate to it.

“I believe that he doesn't quite understand how highly regarded he is and the respect he gets off people, whether that's players, fans, people in the building, because of how he carries himself.

“I spoke to him previously about making more of that and now he's got the perfect platform to try and do that on and off the pitch, so that's good.

“Gibbo is similar. He's done the role before at previous clubs. He come in with a really professional attitude 18 months ago, determined to do well, wants to help others, wants to push others.

“So, I think, in terms of their personalities, I think they're good role models and set good examples.

Explaining more about his decision to make McCann captain, he said: “[It’s] more how he communicates. I think he gets things on the pitch.

“Everyone's different. Some people don't necessarily understand the game as well as others. Some people really understand the game but can only see it after the event. Some people are engaging it on the pitch but can actually impact it on the pitch as well with information.

“I think Ali can do that and, like I said, he probably don't realise how good he is at that, and the fact that he could be a lot better as well.

“That's one of the reasons. And the other one, personality. He's one of those who goes under the radar a lot.

“Because you know what you're going to get from him and I want to see how he reacts [to] being pushed, a bit more responsibility.

“While there's areas of his game that he knows we want him to improve at. I think this is more about leadership and helping the group.”

Heckingbottom has been pleased that, while some experienced players such as Ben Whiteman, Dai Cornell and Robbie Brady have left this summer, McCann and Gibson - as well as others - have stepped up to the plate.

He told the Lancashire Post: “Yes, we've got a lot of senior boys. I've spoke to a lot of them already, one or two more I want to speak to.

“Regardless of our position and how many players we've got in the squad, what's still to do in terms of recruitment, what the next opponent is, what their individual situation is, either in the team or not, senior players are important.

“We need to make sure that they drive our standards in the dressing room, on the training pitch. Any new player coming in the building comes into a dressing room where they realise that our players are at it and our players are hungry and want to do well.”