GUY Mercer has spoken of his immense pride at being named Bath club captain for the 2016/17 season.

The 26-year-old flanker takes on the role from Stuart Hooper, who was forced to retire through injury at the back end of last season.

Having supported Bath since his schoolboy days in the city before being signed up by the club’s Academy and then promoted to fully-fledged squad member, Mercer knows more than most about the illustrious history at The Rec.

And although he admits Hooper’s boots will be big ones to fill, it is a challenge he will take on with relish after being appointed by new director of rugby Todd Blackadder.

“I’m hugely honoured to have been asked to do it and very excited about the group that we have got here and the direction we are moving in,” said Mercer, who will have England fly-half George Ford as his understudy as vice-captain.

“It’s even nicer that Stu is still here at Farleigh and here for support. Hopefully he can keep teaching me and will be someone for me to learn off for the next few weeks as I get to know my new role.

“I supported the club before I was in the Academy and having managed to play for the club – that was always a huge ambition of mine.

“Taking over the captaincy now is massive and a of lot my friends and family are hugely proud of what I have got the chance to do.”

One of Mercer’s first tasks as captain will be help put the disappointment of a below-par season to bed.

Bath finished ninth in the Aviva Premiership in 2015/16 and will hope for a strong resurgence this term under Blackadder.

With the season due to get under way next weekend following Saturday’s final friendly away at Irish side Leinster, Mercer is already pleased with what he has seen in training at Farleigh House.

“There were a number of things wrong last year and what’s been really positive over the summer is there have been a number of meetings and loads of stuff has been pulled out of that which we feel we can learn from,” said Mercer.

“We are already a number of weeks through our pre-season and the amount of positive change and positive work the boys have done already is pretty remarkable.

“I think over the next few weeks you will see that come across in the way we play, the way we conduct ourselves on the field and things like that.

“As we are planning, that will then turn into positive results as well.”