Jamie Vardy, Charlie Austin make England squad, but no Ashley Young

QPR striker Charlie Austin, who has scored 17 goals for the relegated club in the Premier League this season, also wins his first call-up along with Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton.

Vardy's inclusion is the most unexpected piece of news though: just three years ago he was playing non-league football but the forward has had a prominent role in Leicester City's impressive recent form which has kept them away from the relegation zone.

"I'm very pleased with the squad we've been able to put together here, I think it's a very strong squad," Hodgson told a press conference.

"In particular I'm very pleased to welcome three people who haven't been with us before but who get the chance, to some extent because of the U21s, because quite often we've used some of those players in our squad and it's given them the opportunity.

"For people like Tom Heaton and Jamie Vardy and Charlie Austin I think it's a good opportunity for them to have a chance to come and show us what they can do and I don't think anyone would deny them the right to be there because they have had very good seasons with their clubs quite often in difficult situations."

Young has been not been included, despite the 30-year-old playing well for Manchester United under Louis van Gaal and impressing on the wing, because he is suffering from a "slight medical issue".

Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott have both been named by Hodgson despite only recently returning from long spells out due to injury and struggling to secure a place in Arsenal's first XI.

England play Ireland in a friendly in Dublin on June 7 before taking on Slovenia in Ljubljana in a Euro 2016 qualifer on June 14.

Full England squad:

Goalkeepers: Robert Green (Queens Park Rangers), Joe Hart (Manchester City), Tom Heaton (Burnley)

Defenders: Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Chris Smalling (Manchester United)

Midfielders: Ross Barkley (Everton), Fabian Delph (Aston Villa), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), Ryan Mason (Tottenham Hotspur), James Milner (Manchester City), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Andros Townsend (Tottenham Hotspur), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)

Forwards: Charlie Austin (Queens Park Rangers), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal)