Sam's the leader of the pack

The 25-year-old had previously been Paul Cook’s captain at Chesterfield, and it comes as no surprise to see him named on-field general, following the close-season departures of skipper Stephen Warnock and vice-captain Jake Buxton.

“Sammy is a player I know very well,” acknowledged the Latics boss. “I trust him.

“He is a natural leader who plays with passion and desire and is a great motivator to those around him. He leads by example.”

Cook has also named Dan Burn – last season’s player of the year – as club captain, for when Morsy is unavailable for whatever reason.

“I met Dan for the first time when I came here, and it was clear from the first training session he is another natural leader who commands respect by the way he trains, plays and carries himself,” added Cook, who arrived from Portsmouth in June.