WHAT is it to be a captain?

Many different managers will tell you different things. The general attributes that seem to be required are popularity and ability. but a lot of players have had that and not been granted the armband.

Today, Benin international defender Réda Johnson was given the armband in the absence of the instrumental Carl Fletcher for the visit of Peterborough.

But why Réda? What qualities does Réda have that the other ten men in Green don't have?

Previous managers, Paul Sturrock for instance, placed little emphasis on the role of skipper. "He just tosses the coin" Luggy would always say. And essentially, he was right.

In cricket, a captain is responsible for the order of the batman and the bowlers. In rugby, a captain will decide whether to kick for goal of go for the try. The captains in golf's Ryder Cup even get to pick some of the team.

There are several different ilks of captain over the years.

The most famous captain of all was Bobby Moore. Bobby led by example. He threw himself into the tackle, he was charismatic and popular and, certainly as far as the media at the time were concerned, he was the model pro. He successfully captained his club and as a result, was selected to captain his country.

Moore was widely respected for being not just an exceptional player, but also a true gentleman. Pelé labelled him the fairest defender he had ever played against.

After his death in 1993, Sir Bobby Charlton honoured Moore with the recognition that he was: "A real captain whose success and demeanour put him in the all time great category".

Bryan Robson was another player who commanded respect amongst his peers and led my example. Captain of Manchester United and England, Captain Marvel, as he was nicknamed, was a full-blooded player but generally quiet.

Carl Fletcher, the Pilgrims' normal captain, embodies all of the above. As well as being one of the most experienced players at the club, Fletcher puts his all into the game but is one of the more exuberant personalities in the dressing room.

He loves to get involved in a debate and is prone to the odd prank, too. But overall, he is respected by his team mates.

Of the players that are playing today, why does Réda stand out as the best candidate for the armband?

David Button and Dean Parrett are both still young and are new to the club, so you can understand that they haven't got the nod. Having said that, Johnson is himself a young man, but maybe a little more established than the Spurs pair.

Bondz N'Gala, Johnson's centre-back partner, has similar qualities but was overlooked. Karl Duguid, Argyle captain for the 2008-09 season, in the team for the first time this season was also been overlooked. Maybe because he hasn't featured a lot this season.

Lee Molyneux and Rory Patterson are also new players, whilst Craig Noone and Joe Mason are relatively new to professional football. Onismor Bhasera's English isn't the best but nor is Réda's.

However, for the reasons stated below, he has got the nod.

·Encouraging Duguid when he'd been caught in possession and the crowd had begun to creep on his back.

·Rallying the players as they prepared to face a corner

·Talking to the referee as he brought out his yellow card for Craig Noone.

·Continuing to talk and shout even when the game looked beyond the Pilgrims

·Signalling to the bench about injuries.

·But most of all, putting in an assured performance...

...which leads me on to the other theory about captaincy; they have to be good.

You could be the most popular player in the squad, but if you've not got the greatest footballing feet, you can't be captain. Similarly, you can be the greatest player in the world but if you're not a talker on the pitch, if you're not respected by your team mates, you can't be their leader on the pitch.

If, even in a heavy defeat you can have a good game, then you've got what it takes.

Positioning can also play a major part. Most of the famous captains can see the game from all over the park and are midfielders or defenders. Notably exceptions are Peter Schmeichel and Alan Shearer but Johnson, in the heart of defence, fits the bill

Whether Réda keeps the armband after today's team performance remains to be seen but a two week break follows for the manager to make his mind up.

Chris Parsons