YORK City’s captaincy candidates could all be given an opportunity to audition for the job in pre-season.

The armband is up for grabs with last term’s skipper Russell Penn and his stand-in Dave Winfield having moved on.

Returning striker Richard Brodie, who turns 29 on Friday, has already declared to The Press how honoured he would be to take in the responsibility if he was offered.

But manager Jackie McNamara believes he has several contenders for the role and will be running his eye over all of them in the build-up to the opening day of the National League campaign on Saturday, August 6.

The City chief said: “There are a few potential captains, which is good, and I’ve not decided as yet who will be doing it. We’ve got a few leaders in there and I like that.

“Some have different backgrounds like Jack Higgins, who has been a PE teacher so knows all about the importance of discipline. Matty Fry also has good leadership qualities, Simon Heslop is very experienced and Richard Brodie has put his name forward too.

“We have already spoken to three or four to help organise things on the discipline side in terms of if anybody is late or their mobile phones are going off. We’ll also have a look at things in the games.

“We might try one or two as captain and see how they handle the responsibility. Some seem to play better when they wear the armband and I think that was the case with Dave Winfield last season.”

City summer transfer target Darren Stephenson, meanwhile, has signed a two-year contract with National League rivals Tranmere.

Elsewhere, former Bootham Crescent favourite Jon McCarthy, now in charge of Chester, has recruited Walsall goalkeeper Liam Roberts on a season-long loan.

Fellow net-minders Rory Watson and Sam Russell have also made moves from Hull City to North Ferriby and Gateshead to Forest Green respectively.

Watson’s switch is on a season-long loan basis.

Guiseley have bolstered their ranks with the additions of North Ferriby defender Ashley Palmer, Grimsby right-back Danny East and Wrexham midfielder Javan Vidal.