IT TOOK Tom Smith a matter of seconds to say ‘yes’ to one of the biggest jobs in county cricket.

When Ashley Giles asked the 29-year-old if he wanted to become the new Lancashire captain, Smith knew instantly he did — he’d been dreaming of this day since his days playing club cricket for Chorley.

And while all-rounder Smith is “very proud” to be the Red Rose captain, he knows he has made his club, and his home town, proud as well.

“A Chorley lad captain of Lancashire, whoever thought it would happen?,” he said.

“Growing up in Chorley and playing at Chorley was great fun. I still live down there now, support the lads, many of whom I’m still friends with, which is great.

“All the lads have text me saying ‘well done mate’ and ‘we’re chuffed to bits for you’.”

Smith inherits the job from Earby’s Glen Chapple, who was captain at Old Trafford for five years and is now part of Giles’ backroom staff at Old Trafford the club.

“He’s been great so far,” Smith said of the influence of one of Lancashire’s finest stalwarts.

“He’s been chatting to me about a few little things, he’s always there for advice. He was a very successful captain for us and it’s massive shoes to fill, so it’s going to be a great challenge to fill his boots.”

Former Parklands High School pupil Smith is determined to do things his own way as Lancashire’s new leader, but he will be looking at his previous county captains, as well as some of his cricketing heroes, for inspiration and ideas.

“Chappie, Stu Law, Mark Chilton, they’ve all been captains of the club since I’ve been there,” he said.

“I look at them and the success they had and if I can take little bits of knowledge from them here or there then I can’t go far wrong I don’t think.

“Captaincy-wise and players you draw inspiration from, I looked at fellow all-rounders, Fred (Andrew Flintoff), I look at someone like Mike Atherton, captain of England. He led from the front with the batting.

“Steve Waugh, someone similar to that kind of role. If I’m as successful as him Steve Waugh I’ll be very happy!”

Smith is one part of a new beginning at Old Trafford for 2015, with Giles newly installed as cricket director and head coach.

They will be tasked with rejuvenating a side who were relegated from the County Championship’s top division last year.

But while collectively 2014 was a disappointment, for Smith it was the best year of his career. He scored 773 runs in the lower-middle order, took 54 wickets in the County Championship wickets, and earned selection for England Lions during the summer.

That was enough to earn him the club’s player of the year honour, and after making his debut in 2005 he is now comfortable with the fact he has a settled role in the side, and is targeting further improvement.

“I feel pretty settled in the middle-order now, first change bowling, fielding in the slips, I feel pretty settled in that role,” Smith explained.

“Last year was a great year for me personally, if I can emulate that and go one step further as captain and hopefully win a trophy that will be great.

“It’s always great when you have personal success but it’s a team game at the end of the day, not just myself, we were all gutted last year at the end of the season.

“I’ve got to a stage now where I know my game really well. There’s room for improvement and there are little areas I can get better at, but my game on the whole I know pretty well.

“I go into each match knowing what I’ve got to do and how to go about it. It’s a confidence booster for me to know that I’m that secure with my game, and going forward there are little bits I can tinker with, but overall I’m happy with it.”

Smith, who says he will “never give up hope” of forcing his way into the England side, gave his first captaincy talk to his team-mates recently, and can’t wait to get going, with Lancashire starting their County Championship campaign at Derbyshire on April 19.

“I gave my first little chat to the lads the other day,” he said. “They’ve all been great, they’ve all backed me 100 per cent, all the messages from the lads and from others on social media have been great.

“I can’t thank people enough for the support they have given me and hopefully I can do them proud.

“It was weird. It’s part of the job now, that responsibility, the lads were really good with me and I can’t wait to get cracking.

“The first game is away at Derby, I’m looking forward to getting out there. The first morning will be a huge privilege and a huge honour, as will that first coin toss.”

He added: “I’m lucky there’s a network of senior players here. who have got a lot of experience, and Crofty as vice-captain, we’ve got Horts (Paul Horton), Alviro Peterson, Ashwell Prince, Kegsy (Simon Kerrigan) have played international cricket, and Ashley Giles himself, so it’s not like I’m short of people to turn to, so I’m very lucky I’ve got that around me.”

Giles took over at Old Trafford after missing out on the England job to former ex-Red Rose coach Peter Moores.

He guided Warwickshire to County Championship glory in 2012 and Smith believes he can have a similar impact at Lancashire.

“Nothing much has changed drastically, but He’s slowly bringing in little different ideas here and there and helping people see the game differently,” he added. “So far it’s been really encouraging, the lads are all playing really well and there’s great competition for places this year, which is always good. He’s won the Ashes, he’s done everything. If you can’t learn of someone like him you’re asking the wrong questions, he’s been really good for the all the lads, he’s been really positive and he wants you to improve yourself.”

The Red Rose county is hoping the new coach and captain can restore former glories to Old Trafford, and in doing so Smith can make Chorley, and the rest of Lancashire, proud.