Friday 29 July 2011 11:48, UK
Ian Ashbee has been appointed as the new club captain of Preston North End ahead of the new League One season.
The 35-year-old, a January signing from Hull, takes over the armband from Billy Jones and Sean St. Ledger after Callum Davidson's contract was cancelled. Ashbee has captained sides to promotion in all three divisions and also skippered Hull to the Premier League at Wembley under current North End boss Phil Brown in 2007. "It was the obvious choice for me because I have worked with Ian Ashbee at the highest level and we have worked very successfully together - he knows what is required of being captain of a Phil Brown team," said Brown. "Ian can run a changing room when the manager or the coaches are not there. He understands what is required. We have got a group of senior players that could self-manage the changing room and Ian being at the helm of that was a no brainer to me. "There are not many footballers who have captained their football club in every division. In five years Hull got promoted four times. It was a fantastic achievement for him and not only did he captain Hull to promotion to the Premier League, they stayed in the Premier League as well."
