SWINDON Town manager David Flitcroft is confident his new skipper will emerge from their upcoming pre-season schedule.

Having seen former club captain Nathan Thompson depart for Portsmouth following the end of his 15-year stay at the County Ground last month, Flitcroft will be looking for a leader to emerge between now and August 5.

And having brought in plenty of seasoned pros already, with the likes of Ben Purkiss and Olly Lancashire having donned the captain’s armband previously, as well as the possibility of more coming in, Flitcroft has no doubt he will find the right man.

“I think designing the pre-season as we have and the games we have got and a potential trip to Ireland, we will certainly find a captain out of that,” he told the Advertiser.

“I have still got to recruit players as well so that is something we have not even thought about.

“We are really light on the squad numbers and the squad size and the recruitment is still in overdrive, so we’ll take a view on that.

“The leaders will come out of the next 45 days, the leaders and captain will come out of that process and it will be a choice that is pretty noticeable.”

Meanwhile, experience was high on Flitcroft’s wish list with his initial phase of recruitment.

Of the six players he has brought in, five are over the age of 26, greatly boosting the average age of the squad, which fell below 22 for many games last term.

Having made some early assessments after arriving at the County Ground, Flitcroft was keen to readdress the balance in the dressing room.

This week, a number of additional players are training with the club on trial, the Adver understand.

“I think, when you go to a football club, a core of players is already set and already sealed,” he added.

“You’ll have those pros with solid CVs and top, top professionals.

“The club didn’t have that. It’s a young squad, dynamic squad, but didn’t have that leadership quality in there.

“When we started looking, that’s something that is usually inside a football club but it’s not so we have had to go out and make those signings.”

Town added another pre-season friendly to their schedule yesterday with Southern League side Salisbury announcing a game on Monday, July 17.