NEW Cherries skipper Marcus Browning is ready to do the job for as long as he is needed.

The reliable midfielder was asked to step into the void left by former captain Carl Fletcher's move to West Ham as Browning led the side out at Brentford last Saturday.

Manager Sean O'Driscoll is expected to turn to the Bristol-born star once again on Saturday when Cherries entertain Colchester in Coca-Cola League One. (Fitness First Stadium - 3pm kick-off.)

Browning told the Daily Echo: "Sean told us in the team meeting ahead of the Brentford game. We were discussing their players and the tactics and just said 'Marcus will take you out' and that was it really. I have no idea if the same will happen this week.

"I was very pleased to take the armband and will continue to do it as long as I am asked to do so. It was a very proud moment for me."

The 33-year-old has surprisingly never captained any of the sides he has played for before - except in emergencies.

He laughed: "I have captained my school team before but that is about it and doesn't really count!

"I can also remember taking the armband once when the captain went off injured but it was so long ago, I can't even remember which club I was playing for at the time."

He added: "I don't see it as an especially difficult job to do - I go about my business as I normally do and won't change anything if I am asked to captain the side again. I am quite vocal on the pitch whether I am captain or not.

"If I can do my bit to help the boys, give a few instructions here and there in making the team play better, then great."

While the captaincy is perhaps not as influential to the outcome in football as it is in cricket, the ex-Gillingham man believes it is about setting the right example to his younger team-mates.

He said: "You have a lot of responsibility to lead by example when you are captain. But I enjoy that added responsibility that comes with it.

"I will give someone a rollicking when they need it but then I will be there to encourage as well. I am the oldest player here - I have a lot of experience under my belt and I try to pass that on when I can."

A worrying obstacle however is a persistent groin injury which has meant he has been unable to train all week, although he is expected to play through the pain barrier once again for the Colchester clash.

He said: "It is a slight strain and probably needs two weeks of rest to heal properly. But I am just playing on a Saturday, resting all week and playing the next Saturday at the moment.

"It has been a bit of a nightmare to shake off. Ideally I would miss perhaps one game and totally rest it and would come back fully recovered.

"But we are down on players at the moment and we don't have that luxury of resting players.

"It is sometimes in the back of your mind that the whole lot is going to tear if you stretch for a tackle. But I have no problem doing what I can for the side. We haven't got many players so as long as I can get through games, I'm confident I'll be alright."