Squad Profiles - Legends of the Game

 

 

He looked poised to make his debut against St. Kitts and Nevis during the Caribbean tour of June 2004 but the idyllic setting soon developed into a nightmare scenario when he was forced to withdraw at the 11th hour after breaking a finger in training.

 

Linfield 'keeper Alan Mannus was drafted in as a replacement and with Maik Taylor and Roy Carroll ahead of him in the pecking order and plying their trade in the Premiership it seemed to be a heartbreaking case of so near but yet so far for the young custodian.

 

Fast forward a year and the visit of Germany to Windsor Park for the IFA 125th Anniversary game.

 

With Carroll unavailable Ingham was named as understudy to Taylor and harboured high hopes of playing some part in the celebrations.

 

Then, with 14 minutes remaining, his moment arrived.

 

Taking the field to the thunderous and genuine delight of the capacity home crowd the 25-year-old had finally realised his lifelong ambition.

 

He later told IrishFA.com exactly what it meant to him: "The reaction of the crowd when I came on was amazing. To be honest I was holding back the tears as I never thought I would get such a reception. I was the proudest man in the ground."

 

It marked the pinnacle of a career which seemed to be at something of a crossroads.

 

After leaving Cliftonville and the Irish League behind for the bright lights of English giants Sunderland at the end of the 1990s it seemed the world was his oyster.

 

Unable to initially break into the first team he was loaned out to a variety of lower division clubs a ploy which, at the beginning, was crucial in order to gain some much needed experience.

 

However, five years on and no sign of progress on the horizon he issued the Black Cats a 'play me or lose me' ultimatum. In the end he secured a permanent contract with League Two side Wrexham - one of his previous loan clubs - to, at long last, secure regular first team football.

 

Ingham is realistic enough to accept his chances of further international opportunities are limited but, with time still very much on his side, he is without doubt a competent alternative available to Lawrie Sanchez should he be called upon again.