ADAM Bogdan will give the captain’s armband back to Jay Spearing but will hang on to the goalkeeper’s gloves against Nottingham Forest today.

Dougie Freedman has confirmed the Hungary international will keep his place at the expense of Andy Lonergan.

Bogdan found himself on the bench at Watford last week after missing most of the summer with a back problem.

He returned, as captain, to lend a steady hand in the midweek Capital One Cup win over Bury and convinced his manager he should retain the number one position.

“Lonners had done really well; he was one of the outstanding performers of pre-season,” Freedman said.

“There is no blame culture here.

“He could have done one or two things better at Watford last Saturday, as could one or two players, but Adam proved to me the other night how stable he keeps the whole defence.

“He has been here for a long a time, he understands what it is all about.

“And it would be wrong of me not to put him back in.”

Bogdan’s future had been the topic of much debate over the summer, with German club Mainz having one bid for his signature rejected.

That intensified after Freedman declared Lonergan would start the season in goal.

Both keepers have 12 months left on their contracts but the decision to make Bogdan captain against the Shakers and reinstate him so quickly now raises questions about Lonergan's next move.

“His communication is very good,” Freedman said of Bogdan – Wanderers’ longest-serving first-team player.

“The big man knows exactly what he wants and is not afraid to tell anyone that – in the dressing room, in video analysis or with the coaches.

“He knows exactly where he wants his defence to be.

“He tells you where not to be if he is coming for a cross. He is very assured at the back and that helps one or two other players.

“I think before I came to the club he was having a difficult time and the fans got on his back.

“Since I have been here he has only kept on improving, stood up and been a man about it. That’s what he has done.

“Any criticism he has just taken it in the right way and moved on very quickly.

“You need that in a leader. And in a very difficult first half the other night he kept us going.”

Wanderers should welcome Dean Moxey back for today’s first Championship home game after he recovered from a bruised foot picked up at Watford, while the likes of Spearing, Kevin McNaughton and Neil Danns are also expected to start.

Joe Mason is also poised to be selected by Freedman for a third debut after getting international clearance for his season-long loan from Cardiff but Mark Davies is likely to miss the game with a fractured toe.