Aberdeen goalkeeper Joe Lewis will be captain for the rest of the season following the departure of player-coach Scott Brown.
Dons boss Jim Goodwin has confirmed Lewis will lead the team after Brown, who was named team captain following his arrival in the summer, parted company with the club last week.
Goodwin said: “Joe Lewis will take the armband. He had it prior to Scott coming up and then that change was made. We’ll give it back to Joe. He’ll be captain between now and the end of the season.
“Joe’s one of the most experienced members of the group. He’s been captain for plenty time since he’s been here.
“He leads by example. But we’ve got a number of other guys out there who could be captain as well.
“The armband thing, I think it’s a bit old fashioned to be perfectly honest with you. Do we really need a captain anymore?
“Do we need to have that type of person on the park? Every manager speaks about wanting 11 leaders out there.
“It’s an honour I suppose, more than anything, for someone to be captain of any football club. I know Joe takes great pride in wearing the armband and he’ll have it until the end of the season.”
Brown and Aberdeen parted on good terms
The departure of Brown last week did not come as a surprise after the player-coach was told his coaching opportunities would be restricted following Goodwin’s arrival at the club.
However, the Dons boss insists he and the former Celtic captain parted on good terms.
Goodwin said: “It was best for all parties. The conversations between myself and Scott were really open and really honest.
“Regardless of what has been out there on social media or whatever, he left on great terms. He was very understanding of my situation here.
“Scott came to Aberdeen with the previous management team to get some coaching. I’m quite hands on as a manager. I do a lot of the day to day stuff.
“There really wasn’t going to be an opportunity for Scott on that front.”
Playing role would have been reduced
Goodwin believes his desire to assess the other midfield options at the club, and the subsequent effect it would have on Brown’s playing time, was another reason for the player’s decision to move on.
The Dons boss added: “Also on the playing side of things, we’ve got quite a few midfielders and I just didn’t feel Scott was going to play regularly between now and the end of the season.
“He kind of agreed that maybe it was best that we part company.
“But I have to say, he was an absolute pleasure to deal with.
“I didn’t know him before he came in. We had a few good tussles on the pitch as players and he was exactly what I expected.
“He was a model professional around the place, well liked within the dressing room and he left with a shake of the hand.”
JET grounded for now
While Brown has moved on a question mark hangs over the future of Jay Emmanuel-Thomas.
The summer signing from Livingston has not featured since Goodwin was appointed a month ago.
The Aberdeen manager has made it clear the striker needs to improve his fitness before he will be considered for team selection and he will not be involved in tomorrow’s match against Hibernian at Pittodrie.
Goodwin said: “The big man has got a bit of work to do physically before he will be considered.
“The fitness aspect is a big thing for the players and they have all been made aware of that since day one.
“We need players in the squad who can withstand the physical demands I’m going to put on them and that is the nuts and bolts of why the big man is not involved.”