YORK City manager Nigel Worthington would recommend a Northern Ireland recall for goalkeeper Michael Ingham.

Having won three full international caps under Lawrie Sanchez, Ingham was overlooked for selection during all Worthington’s four-year stint in charge of the Green and White Army from 2007 to 2011.

At the time, Ingham was initially number two to Wayne Brown at Hereford United before joining the Minstermen, who were then plying their trade in the Conference.

Established Premier League net-minders Maik Taylor and Roy Carroll were also available to Worthington, as Ingham, who turns 33 next month, was cast off into the international wilderness.

Worthington’s successor with Northern Ireland, Michael O’Neill, has also ignored Ingham’s claims for the last two years, while Derry City’s 31-year-old Gerard Doherty and Bury’s Trevor Carson – both uncapped – received recent call-ups.

Former Manchester United shot-stopper Carroll, now at Olympiacos, remains on the scene as are Alan Mannus and Michael McGovern, who play for St Johnstone and Scottish first division outfit Falkirk respectively.

Ex-Nottingham Forest ’keeper Lee Camp, currently unattached, is another option but has not been considered since last summer.

Having witnessed Ingham’s displays during City’s successful battle against relegation last season, though, including five clean sheets and just seven goals conceded during Worthington’s ten-game reign at Bootham Crescent, his club manager now believes the time could be right for the ex-Cliftonville number one to be welcomed back into the international fold.

“I worked with Michael for the last couple of months of the season and his attitude and performance levels were exceptional and we will be looking for more of the same from him,” Worthington said.

“Northern Ireland are not blessed with huge numbers of players in all positions so Michael’s there, he’s done a very good job and he’s got experience.

“If the manager was to ring me up, I would have good things to say about Michael.

“On hearing that, some people might say ‘well, why didn’t you pick him’?

“What I would say to that is, at the time, the club was in the Conference and making that step up to international football is huge, so other people were ahead of Michael then. But he’s in good nick, has a fantastic attitude and, if he got the call, I would be delighted for him.”

A recall for Ingham might also enable the Minstermen to postpone first-team matches when Estonian Sander Puri and Scotland under-21 ’keeper Chris Kettings are on international duty.

Northern Ireland and Estonia are playing senior games on August 14, September 6 and 10 and October 11 and 15.

The Scottish U21s will be in action during those September and October dates.

Club sides in England need a minimum of three players to be selected by their countries before calling off fixtures and, on that possibility, Worthington said: “It’s good for the club that we have those circumstances with Sander and young Kettings.

“Maybe there will be a third as well, whether that’s Michael Ingham or we sign another young international because of that situation. But, if games do have to go ahead, hopefully there will be enough in the group to get us through.”