For our first season in the Danske Bank Premiership, Newry City AFC are delighted to announce Mark Hughes as Club Captain and Declan Carville as Vice Captain.

Newry Manager Darren Mullen commented, “Taking over the captains armband from Chris is not an easy role to fill but I’ve no doubt Hughesy is the right man for the job. He is a natural leader and along with his undoubted ability he has the full respect of the squad. His experience in the Premiership will be vital for us this season and he is a worthy representative for the club both on and off the pitch. Giving Decky the vice-captain’s role is a sign of how much he has matured as a player and a person over the past 3 years. He has developed into a very important player for us and has become one of the main characters in the dressing room. We are lucky in that we have numerous natural leaders within the group but it’s an honour for both Mark and Declan that they have been given these roles and I know they will fulfil them to the best of their ability.”

Mark Hughes: “It’s an honour to captain my hometown team going into its first season in the Premiership. I hope that we can give our brilliant fans something to celebrate come the end of the season again. I can’t wait to get started.”

Declan Carville: “I am honoured to have been chosen as vice-captain for my hometown club. This is my fourth season at The Showgrounds but there is no doubt this will be the most exciting one.”

Photographs courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.