Hartlepool keeper misses out on Euro 2016

The 28-year-old was Player of the Year at Victoria Park this season but has missed out on the Northern Ireland squad for this summer’s finals.

Carson, who started his career with Sunderland, is not one of the three keepers named in boss Michael O’Neill’s squad for next Friday’s game with Belarus.

O’Neill will then cut that squad down to the 23 for the Finals in France.

Former Newcastle defender Aaron Hughes, now 36, will make his 99th international appearance should he feature against Belarus and has the chance to bring up his century in the friendly with Slovakia on June 4.

Northern Ireland squad: McGovern (Hamilton), Carroll (Notts County), Mannus (St. Johnstone), Cathcart (Watford), McAuley (West Brom), J Evans (Manchester United), McCullough (Doncaster), Hughes (Melbourne), D Lafferty (Burnley), McLaughlin (Fleetwood), Smith (Peterborough), Hodson (MK Dons), McNair (Manchester United), Ferguson (Millwall), Dallas (Leeds), Davis (Southampton), Norwood (Reading), Baird (Derby), C Evans (Blackburn), Reeves (MK Dons), McGinn (Aberdeen), McKay (Wigan), Boyce (Ross County), Magennis (Kilmarnock), K Lafferty (Norwich), Ward (Nottingham Forest), Washington (QPR), Grigg (Wigan).