CHRIS HUGHTON’S determination to show loyalty to the players who helped Newcastle reclaim their place in the Premier League prompted him to overlook Sol Campbell’s claim for the captaincy.

Campbell may have skippered his country, but that has not been sufficient for him to claim the Magpies’ armband for a campaign where leadership and squad morale will be key factors in securing Newcastle’s top flight status.

Kevin Nolan and Alan Smith are vying to lead the side when they kick-off their season at Manchester United in just over a fortnight with Joey Barton, who was skipper during the second-half at Carlisle last Saturday and long-serving goalkeeper Steve Harper outside candidates for the role.

Hughton hasn’t forgotten the positive influence his senior players brought to bear last term. Nolan, Smith and Harper were central figures in helping unite the Newcastle dressing room behind the rookie manager’s leadership. While Campbell’s presence on and off the field could be invaluable Hughton will turn to one of the established members of the squad, with Nolan the leading candidate ,to skipper the team.

“We have a lot of players that come into the reckoning,” said Hughton. “Sol is a player of great experience and one we see as captain material. But in front of Sol there are a lot of other candidates who have been here for a few seasons and been through a lot and they will come into consideration.

“I can categorically say that Sol will not be captain,” said Hughton, who insists that he remains relaxed about the captaincy issue and is more focused on maintaining the determined spirit that was a trademark of the squad last season.

“For me it’s more important that you have players of presence and influence who want to show that on and off the football pitch. Would I rather have one outstanding figure or a group you can rely on with some good, strong personalties?

I would rather have the latter.”

Of greater concern for the manager is adding depth to his squad. Hughton admits that the recruitment this summer of Campbell, James Perch and Dan Gosling, who is recovering from a cruciate ligament injury, still leaves him short on numbers for what he predicts will be a testing season.

“I feel that we need to make sure that we have a squad that has the depth to cope with the Premier League. We still need to strengthen. Sol did not come on the proviso that we would sign more players. He came here strictly on the basis that there is challenge here for him.

But from my point of view we must bring some more bodies in. There is money available to bring in more players and we expect to do more business.”

■ Newcastle will wear their new Puma home kit for the first time in today’s friendly at St James’ Park against PSV Eindhoven (ko 3pm). It goes on sale Thursday, August 5.

■ Newcastle have become the latest Premier League club to ban vuvuzelas from their home ground. Tottenham, Arsenal, Birmingham, Everton, Fulham, West Ham and West Brom have already barred the South African horns, which were a feature of this summer’s World Cup.

A Magpies statement read: “The club’s position, aside from them being an item not permitted according to ground regulations, is that the vast majority of fans do not wish them to be heard within the ground.”