NICK Morris says he will have a team full of leaders after being named as Swindon Robins’ new captain for the 2018 season.

Swindon team manager Alun Rossiter had already confirmed that Morris would step up to number one to fill the void left by world champion Jason Doyle’s departure.

And at today’s press and practice day at the Abbey Stadium ahead of the new campaign, it was revealed the 23-year-old will now take on the captaincy as well.

Morris admits there will be extra pressure on his shoulders as he gets set to begin his seventh successive season as a Robins rider – although none of that is down to his new role as skipper as he will get plenty of support from his team-mates.

“As a team, we all get on well, we all talk and we all work as a captain, really. We have just got to do as well as we can on the track,” said Morris.

“Being number one adds a little bit of pressure but I have just got to concentrate on doing as well as I can, that’s what I did last year. I just focussed on riding the bike as well as I can and the results came off the back of that.

“Last year was a really good year for me and I got that high average for a reason.

“It is a shame they brought the new rule in because it would have been nice to see Jason back but it is what it is.

“I am happy to be back and I am just keen to get back on the bike now.”

Morris takes the armband of a Swindon side who are reigning SGB Premiership champions, with Rossiter having made just two changes in personnel over the winter months.

Bradley Wilson-Dean joined Doyle in departing the Robins, with Australian pair Troy Batchelor and Mitchell Davey the new recruits.

Morris thinks the initial outlook at the Abbey is a positive one, although he will not set any ambitions for the season other than finishing in the top four and qualifying for the play-offs.

“It is pretty much the same team, just without Jason,” said Morris, who will lead Swindon for the first time in Monday’s Charity Shield first leg away at Belle Vue Aces.

“Obviously not having the world champion is going to weaken any team but I think we have got a good team again. You know riders can chop and change but hopefully the team we have got now will work.

“The targets are always to make the play-offs and try to win as many meetings as we can.

“If we all concentrate on doing as well as we can individually, then the team is going to do well. That is what we have to do and hopefully it gets us a long way.”