Paul Digby is hailed as a great leader and role model at Cambridge United

Mark Bonner has acclaimed captain Paul Digby in another stellar season at Cambridge United.

The 27-year-old midfielder was a pivotal figure in driving the U’s forward to promotion from League Two last season, and has picked up the mantle again in League One.

Digby has also worn the skipper's armband for the majority of the campaign, after the early injury to club captain Greg Taylor in August.

Bonner highlighted the former Stevenage man’s contribution to the first goal in the 2-2 draw at Burton Albion as the epitome of his displays.

Digby drove the team forward before making a forward pass, and then getting round at the back post to nod across the area for Harvey Knibbs to score.

“I think he gives us so much, with and without the ball,” said the U’s head coach.

“He is improving all the time as well. I think improvement is possible for every player at any age, and he is a case in point in that.

“I think his influence since he has been here is really obvious for everybody to see and hear.

“In recent weeks, he has started doing a bit of coaching with the youth team because he is working through his coaching badges and started to take a real interest in that.

“He’s a great leader in the sense that he spends time with everybody. He has good knowledge of everyone over the club and is a brilliant role model to everybody else.

“He is a real help to me, firstly, but also just a massive player in our team. I think his performances throughout the season have been very good.

“At Accrington, in the second game of the season, he played centre-half in that game because of the issues we had there, and you miss him when he’s not in the middle of the pitch.

“There’s no doubt we’ve missed him when he’s not available. He is having a brilliant season and we’re delighted with how he’s handled this change stepping up to another level.”

Digby is currently doing his B licence, but is not alone in thinking longer term about what comes at the end of his playing days.

“Liam O’Neil, Greg Taylor, Harrison Dunk are doing degrees and courses elsewhere in other fields, one because I think that is a good way to spend some of your time,” said Bonnner.

“They are super intelligent lads that want to develop themselves and prepare for life after football, if football stops or they don’t see coaching as an outcome.”

Other players in the past have followed a similar pathway to Digby, and are reaping their rewards from it, including a member of the U’s coaching team.

“Barry Corr did it, and that was the starting point for him, and that developed into working in the academy and moving his way through to working with us,” said Bonner.

“I think back to previous years and there have been a lot of players that have done it - Gary Deegan off the top of my head who has gone out and is coaching now.

“We’ve got good academy staff that are quite open to helping them and supporting them. We’ve got FA mentors that come in and spend time with them, so Diggers went out and did a session last Thursday afternoon with the youth team.”

Bonner, whose own coaching career was nurtured through the U’s system, added: “The best time to prepare for what comes after football is while you’re playing because you do have some time while you can do that, and I think that’s sensible.

“I also think as a player you start to see the game a bit differently and it makes you a more rounded player, and also a more rounded individual in terms of understanding others.

“Rather than just thinking about your own game, you start to see the whole game a little bit wider. Hopefully it will only make him better as a leader and a player.”

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