Manager Chris Wilder says he is giving serious thought to handing one of the experienced new players who arrived this week the Oxford United captain’s armband.

Either holding midfielder Paul Wotton or centre half Ben Futcher could take over as skipper.

It would be an unusual move for a player coming in on loan, but it’s a signal both of how important Wilder feels it is for the team to have an influential “talker” on the field, and his conviction that the player concerned will also be here more than just a few months, becoming a permanent signing.

Both experienced ex-Plymouth man Wotton, 33, who has joined from Southampton, and Bury defender Futcher, 29, have captained their teams before.

“Yes, it’s something I’m thinking about,” Wilder told the Oxford Mail.

“I don’t care whether it’s short-term, we need people to influence games and the other players around them pretty quickly, and both Wotton and Futcher can do that.”

James Constable has been United’s captain this season, but he missed last week’s FA Cup tie at Burton because of illness, and with Jake Wright also sidelined through suspension, 21-year-old Harry Worley took over as skipper.

Wright completes his three-match ban, while Constable, who returned to training on Thursday, faces a fitness test.

“We have missed that talking on the field, especially when you take Constable and Wright out of the team,” said the U’s boss.

“We’ve got players who are quiet and we needed a boost, and Futcher and Wotton will influence those around them.”

It will be like starting the season afresh for United against Rotherham at Don Valley Stadium today.

Futcher, Wotton and the week’s third new signing, striker Steven Maclean, are set for their Oxford debuts.

The U’s are bidding to end a run of three successive def-eats, while Rotherham have not won in five matches.

This will be Rotherham’s fourth successive home match, and they are hoping to bounce back after losing 5-2 at home to Huddersfield in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in midweek.

Wilder said: “I don’t think we’re a million miles off.

“We were talking only two or three weeks ago that we’d gone six away games unbeaten and had one of the best defensive records in the league.

“We have to tighten ourselves up and stop making silly mistakes, and we needed to make sure we’re a bit more clinical at the top of the pitch.”

The Millers are without right back Johnny Mullins (calf), but top-scorer Adam le Fondre should return after a bug.

Rotherham Utd: Warrington, Cresswell, Fenton, Newey, Law, Harrison, J Taylor, Marshall, R Taylor, Le Fondre, Annerson, Brogan, Green, Ashworth, Ellison, Warne, Pope, Elliott, Coid. Oxford Utd: (from) Clarke, Batt, Worley, Futcher, Tonkin, Payne, Wotton, Clist, Green, Maclean, Craddock, Purkiss, Kinniburgh, Eastwood, Heslop, Hall, Potter, Deering, Franks, Baker, Constable.