Northern Ireland v Norway: O'Neill hands armband to Davis

Michael O'Neill has named Steven Davis as captain for his first match in charge of Northern Ireland against Norway at Windsor Park tonight. It means Aaron Hughes, who led the side for eight years, is back in the ranks after his retirement U-turn.

"Steven is the captain going forward," O'Neill said. "With a new manager coming in, it was maybe time."

O'Neill has appealed for patience from fans who were disappointed following an underwhelming Euro 2012 campaign. With resources limited, not to mention a World Cup qualifying group containing both Portugal and Russia, O'Neill said: "There is no secret the last campaign finished on a disappointing note, but maybe the level of patience is not what it was. I hope there isn't that unrealistic weight of expectancy. A bit of perspective would be nice."