Curtis Weston says he is over the moon to be named Barnet captain and insists the number of leaders in the squad will make his job easier.

The 28-year-old was named as Charlie MacDonald’s successor on Saturday following the 3-1 victory over Championship new-boys MK Dons.

Weston deputised for MacDonald during his injury problems last season and will now step up to lead the Bees back into the Football League after a two-year absence.

“I am over the moon to be named captain,” said Weston. “I was captain last year but to be given it this season is brilliant.

“It was a good experience last year being captain for the back end of last season. I will just do the same.

“I learnt bits and pieces from Charlie Mac as well because he was a good leader, but we have got leaders throughout the team.

“If you look at our team we have got six or seven who are leaders so I am learning bits from everyone. They will help out and it will work well.”

He added: “If you look at what we have brought in we have got some experience and leaders to add to the leaders we already have in the team.

“It makes my job ten times easier and it will be the same as last season where there were leaders on the pitch who helped out and had their say.”

Weston had played in the Football League his entire career until the Bees were relegated in 2013 and the former Millwall and Leeds United midfielder believes there is very little difference between the two levels.

He mused: “No [there is not much difference]. Some of the teams will be a step above but a lot of League Two is going to be similar to the Conference so we do not need to change anything we do personally and we will see how we get on.”

In recent years a number of sides have done the ‘double bounce’ and won promotion from the Conference into League One in consecutive years.

Crawley Town and Stevenage are two such examples and without getting carried away, Weston is optimistic Barnet can make a good impression in the fourth tier.

“Without setting it as a target,” he laughed, “we are looking good, that is all I am saying. We are strong and we have got a good side so we will do all right this season.”

And central to the Bees’ hopes of success will surely be the former of striker John Akinde. The powerful striker netted 31 times as Barnet won the Conference for a record third time last season and picked up the division’s Golden Boot for his exploits.

Weston knows Akinde’s worth and said: “He will be very important.

“You saw last season he is our outlet up front and his second goal today (Saturday) was from a counter-attack. They had the ball, we got it, popped it, popped it, popped it and he is in; one pass and he is too quick and too strong for any centre-back at the moment so he is going to be vital for us.”