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NORTHERN Ireland international Josh Carson is willing to fill in at left-back for new club York City.

Carson, more commonly known as a winger or a midfielder, was moved back into the defensive role during the final 15 minutes of Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat to Port Vale.

The switch came after Jamal Fyfield had been substituted following a torrid afternoon and, with no other specialist left-back on the Bootham Crescent books, the on-loan Ipswich teenager has volunteered his services for the position again if needed.

Said Carson: “I’ve played there a few times for Ipswich and have been put there because I’m good at overlaps, playing the ball into midfield and getting around.

“I just enjoy playing really and will always give 100 per cent and do what I can for the team.

“If Nigel (Worthington) tells me that he wants me to play at left-back again then I would have no problem with that and will do what I need to do.”

Despite playing Championship football back in October, Carson has no qualms about a drop of two divisions either, explaining that he feels a debt of gratitude to Worthington who, as Northern Ireland boss, gave the Ballymena-born youngster his international debut at the age of 17 during a 5-0 defeat to the Republic of Ireland.

On that matter, Carson added: “When I got the call and he told me he wanted me up here, I said ‘no problem’.

“Now, I have to do everything I can to pay him back for what he’s done for me in the past and do everything I can to help York stay up.”

City have adopted a more direct approach during Worthington’s first three games in charge but Carson also insisted that the former Sheffield Wednesday left-back is no long-ball merchant, saying: “He has many, many qualities as a manager.

“He likes to get the ball down and play football but also likes to turn teams and get in behind them.

“I thought we did that against Port Vale – trying to play at times, as well as hitting big Ranks (Michael Rankine) up top and playing off him.

“He mixes it up and is good in that respect. He does not stick to one match setting.”

On his own debut, Carson commented: “It was always going to be hard coming straight in to League Two football but I relished the challenge and gave it all I had.”

The 19-year-old Irishman also now has two immediate career targets – the first to help ensure City beat the drop and the second re-establishing himself at Portman Road next season.

On his twin wishes, he said: “As soon as the new gaffer (Mick McCarthy) came in at Ipswich, he told me he needed to go with experience and I had to accept that. But I have been in and around the squad and it’s not as if I have been out of favour or he’s not talking to me or anything like that.

“I’ve got another year left on my contract and I’m looking forward to that. Hopefully, I can have a good pre-season and challenge for a first-team place.

“Getting games with York should benefit me in the future but, first, I just hope that, as a team, we can pull the club out of this hole.”