Whitlow announced as captain

Mills admitted that he knew that 36-year-old Whitlow would be this season's captain the minute he snapped him up on a two-year deal from Sheffield Utd.

The County boss, himself a former team-mate of Whitlow's at Leicester City, says he has been impressed by former Bolton & Leeds' defender's vocal nature, which made the decision to make him skipper an easy one.

Mills also dismissed the idea of keeping Richardson on as club captain, ridiculing the idea of having a seperate club captain and team captain.

"Mike will be captain of Notts County this season, not team captain or club captain, I don"t believe in that, he will be the captain," Mills told the Evening Post.

"He has the experience to be a good leader out on the pitch, which is important.

"But he also brings something to the side that we haven't had in a long time - he can talk on the pitch. In fact, at times, you have a job shutting him up.

"This is a good thing however. Already in the one proper friendly we have played, he talked more than the whole team did in the final 20 matches of last season.

"We need somebody who can give some guidance, leadership and advice out on the pitch and Mike can do that for us.

"I knew from the moment I signed him that he would be captain this season. It it is no reflection on anyone else. Not at all. Mike is just the right man for the job."