Hamilton calls up Nolan

Ian Nolan, Sheffield Wednesday's Liverpool-born defender, has won a surprise call-up to Northern Ireland's World Cup squad to play Armenia in next week's qualifier in Belfast.

The 26-year-old full-back qualifies through his grandparents and looks certain to make his debut on Saturday, 5 October as his new country attempt to get over their defeat by Ukraine in last month's opening Group Nine fixture.

The manager, Bryan Hamilton, said: "It's an exciting discovery for us. Having seen him play I know just how good he is."

Hamilton also brings Hull's teenage goalkeeper Roy Carroll in for the first time as understudy to Alan Fettis. Bolton centre-back Gerry Taggart, who last played in June 1995 in a home defeat by Latvia, is back in the squad.

NORTHERN IRELAND Squad (v Armenia, World Cup qualifying Group Nine, Belfast, 5 Oct): Fettis (Nottm Forest), Carroll (Hull), Nolan (Sheff Wed), Griffin (St Johnstone), Hunter (Reading), Hill (Leicester), Worthington (Stoke), Rowland, Dowie, Hughes (all West Ham), Taggart (Bolton), Gillespie (Newcastle), McMahon (Stoke), Magilton (Southampton), Lennon (Leicester), Lomas (Man City), O'Neill (Coventry), Gray (Nancy, Fr).