YORK City long-throw specialist Sam Muggleton could be chucked in from the start for Saturday’s huge home clash against Forest Green.

Muggleton, 21, has not been named in the Minstermen’s first XI since his mid-March move from Eastleigh, but he was hailed off the bench for a seventh time to use his prodigious talent and set up Jon Parkin’s 75th-minute equaliser in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Woking.

The goal was the third Muggleton had created for Parkin with his hands, following previous assists in wins against Southport (5-3) and Macclesfield (3-1).

He was brought on in the 70th minute at the weekend and the longest he has been on the pitch for City was when he was introduced just before the hour mark during the 2-0 home defeat to Bromley earlier this month.

But, with City now knowing they need a victory over Forest Green to give them their best chance of climbing out of the National League relegation zone on a fraught final day, the temptation to kick off the game with Muggleton could prove too strong with boss Gary Mills admitting: “There’s no doubt getting Muggy on from the start with his long throw is an option because we can score goals from it, so it’s something to consider and we are considering.

“We know Muggy can make a difference. We’ve scored three or four now from his throws and Jon’s against Woking could be an important one.

“But we also have to think about whether we would have to change the system if we started him.”

If Mills did decide to pitch the former Gillingham, Barnet and Eastleigh defender in for the 12.15pm kick-off, his biggest dilemma could be who to leave out in order to accommodate him.

As a fellow left-back, Alex Whittle could be the most likely candidate, having made way for Muggleton in Surrey.

Only skipper Simon Heslop, on 43, has started more league games than Whittle (38) this season with the latter also a Player of the Year contender.

But Mills insisted that any selection choices he makes for what could be a defining moment in the Minstermen’s history will be based on the needs of the team rather than any individual.

“If he (Muggleton) was to play left-back, then there’s only one player he would come in for and that’s Whitts (Alex Whittle), but we’ve got to win the game and do whatever I think is the right thing to enable us to do that.”