ROB King says he’d love to be Canvey ’s skipper for the coming season but admits it’s likely to be a keenly contested position at the club.

The free-scoring midfielder has been captain for the Gulls in their two games so far this pre-season and says it is a role he has enjoyed.

He said: “I think we’ll still have about seven or eight more new players coming into the club, so it might be the case that one of them gets the captaincy.

“But I’ve enjoyed doing it and if it was offered to me I’d like to do it. But we have a great bunch of lads here so I don’t really think it matters to much who is captain because they will be well supported.”

Canvey host Chelmsford City tonight in their latest warm-up game, and King is anticipating a “good test” for Steve Tilson ’s new-look Canvey side.

But he echoed his manager’s sentiments by underling the point that results mean nothing in pre-season because the games are all about building up match fitness and sharpness.

And King said Tilson’s training methods have been unsurprisingly tough and what you would expect of a man who has coached in the professional game.

King said: “You can tell from his training methods that he is used to being in charge of players from a higher level.

“The work has been very match-specific and not just running and I’m sure we will start to see the benefits in the matches coming up.”

King admits the loss of previous manager Glen Alzapiedi along with a clutch of first-teamers has disrupted their preparations this summer, but he is confident it will still be a very good year for the Gulls.

He said: “Everyone in this division is targeting the play-offs, and that is the same for us.

“And I think depending on who we can bring in, we can have a very good season. “And with a bit of luck, and if we can avoid too many injuries, I think with what we have in place now we are in a position to have a run at the league after a couple of seasons of falling a bit short.”

Canvey recorded a 2-0 win at home to Ryman Premier champions Billericay Town on Saturday.

Town’s pre-season campaign has been disrupted by the bad weather causing the cancellations of games with Great Wakering and Heybridge Swifts.

But they continue tonight with a trip to local rivals East Thurrock United.

The game is due to kick-off at Rookery Hill at 7.45pm.