Sol Bamba says it’s “a massive honour” to retain the captaincy for the forthcoming season and knows he has an important role to play both on and off the pitch.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon, Garry Monk confirmed that Bamba will continue in the role of club captain after initially taking the armband at the start of the last campaign.

“Sol is obviously captain from last season and I think he does very well with that role, so I see no reason to change it,” the head coach said.

“He has a good relationship with the group which is important as a captain, so that’s what it will be from the start of the season.

“But I also have a group of leaders that work from within on a daily basis.”

Bamba added: “It’s a massive honour for me – I never take it for granted.

“It’s a huge honour for me to represent the club and for my family as well. I’m going to do it to the best of my ability and hopefully I can make the club and the fans proud.

“People just see it on the pitch – it’s more obvious as you’ve got the armband on – but I think it’s also a massive job off the pitch to make sure everyone is okay and that I know what everyone needs. Sometimes it’s just a quick chat or to go for a coffee with someone to make sure they’re okay.

“I think that’s the most difficult part of the job because on the pitch it’s just football, we know what to do. Outside it’s about knowing what the player needs.”