GLENN Tamplin says Paul Konchesky will captain the side this season after he turned down a move to Stevenage which would have almost doubled his wages.

The 36-year-old left-back took the armband from Rob Davies, following his first-half substitution in Saturday’s 1-0 opening day league defeat to Kingstonian.

And Town manager Tamplin has confirmed that the former England international will keep the captaincy, having affirmed his commitment to the club’s cause ahead of the second match of the Isthmian Premier League campaign at Lowestoft Town tonight.

“Paul Konchesky will captain the side at Lowestoft this evening and be the team captain this season,” he said.

“Paul was offered £1,800 a week to move to Stevenage in League Two, but he has turned that down.

“He is earning £1,000 a week at Billericay but he has chosen to stay which shows that these players are not just in this for the money.

“We are building something big here and we need to regain our focus.”

Town’s opening day reverse to Kingstonian came as a something of a shock, with Billericay widely regarded to be league favourites this year following Tamplin’s significant investment in the team and infrastructure.

However, a 90th minute goal handed former manager Craig Edwards the three points on his return to Essex.

And Tamplin says he is continuing to learn how best to manage the team.

“I need to remove myself personally from it all,” he said.

“I get too close and view the players like my friends.

“I need to start treating this like a business and accept that they work for me.

“It ruined my weekend but I have re-watched the footage and we had 26 shots, they had four and we lost 1-0.

“If the stats had been the other way around, I would be concerned. But it was one of those days and I still believe we will win the league.

“The first 60 minutes was poor and I don’t know how we didn’t score in the final 30 minutes.

“I felt we had two stonewall penalties turned down, and thought they looked even more concrete on the replay.

“But it could be the best thing to have happened to us. I bet Chelsea don’t believe they can’t win the league after they lost their opening match in the Premier League to Burnley.

“I have had Lowestoft watched and we have done our homework. They are a good side. But I am confident we can go there and get the three points.”

Rob Swaine returns from injury and Joe Ellul is also available despite his red card at the weekend but Leo Chambers remains a doubt.