NIGEL Worthington has asked dropped goalkeeper Michael Ingham to act like a “good professional” if he wants to get back into the York City team.

The 33-year-old shot-stopper was replaced by on-loan signing Nick Pope for Saturday’s 0-0 home draw with Bristol Rovers.

Since then, Ingham’s personal Twitter profile was changed and yesterday read “ex York City GK”.

But Worthington is insisting he wants the long-serving net-minder, who has kept 111 clean sheets in 304 appearances for the club, to stay at Bootham Crescent at least until his contract expires this summer.

The City boss said: “You don’t expect any player to take losing their place easily. It’s always a disappointment but you have to deal with it in the right manner.

“That’s important. Like all good professionals, when you are out of the team, you have to get your head down, work hard and wait for your opportunity.

“I always say to players who have been left out that you never know what’s round the corner. Things can change tomorrow or in two months’ time and you have got to be ready mentally and physically for that possibility.

“You do that by doing your work and staying sharp. You have to maintain high standards in your job and, if you don’t, I will deal with it.

“Michael is very much part of the group and I have told him that we will evaluate everything at the end of the season and take things from there. He is contracted to York City until the end of the season and I want two good ’keepers to the club.

“I have told him he won’t be able to go out on loan because I don’t want to go out and get another loan ’keeper, so that’s the situation in black and white.”

The Minstermen chief went on to cite two-time Press Player of the Year Dan Parslow as an illustration of the response expected from anybody who loses their place in the side.

Parslow has been dropped by Worthington, as well as past managers Gary Mills, Martin Foyle and Billy McEwan during seven-and-a-half years on the Bootham Crescent books, but has come back to become a permanent fixture in the team each time.

The City boss added: “If you are looking for somebody who keeps his head, works hard and stays focused when he’s out of the team then I suppose Dan Parslow would be a prime example of that.”