LINKS between Worcester City and the University of Worcester have continued to grow this season.

The Blue and Whites have already tapped into the wealth of skills of students with several involved at the club on matchdays.

The Skrill North outfit work with performance analyst Kyle Eaton, who records matches for manager Carl Heeley and assistant Matt Gardiner to study, and journalism students Alex Harris and Kelly Holliday, who contribute to the club’s website.

But there has also been a strong association between the club and university on the pitch with a host of players furthering their education at the St John’s campus over the years.

Glyn Harding is a principal lecturer in sports coaching science and has seen an entire starting 11, making up a 4-4-2 formation, come through the ranks at the university, featuring one current and 10 former City players.

Centre-half Shabir Khan, also a Pakistan international, flies the flag for the current crop having studied at the university in his younger days.

He is expected to return to the team for today’s league match at Bradford Park Avenue (3pm) when there will be a pitch inspection at 9am.

Other former students include ex-Worcester keeper Lewis Skyers, who was the sighted player for the Great Britain blind team at London 2012.

Defenders Jamie Hyde, Jacob Rowe and Dan Jones, midfielders Paul Carty, Tom Warmer, Tom Thorley and Steve Lutz and strikers Troy Wood and James Smith complete the team.

Ex-Birmingham City youngster Rowe is currently in the USA on a business studies placement, while Jones is a former GB Universities skipper and now based in Melbourne, Australia.

Stalwart Carty, who made more than 170 appearances for Worcester, trained to be a teacher at the university.

So did Warmer, now teaching physical education in Denmark, and Thorley, who left City to join Skrill North rivals Hednesford Town in November.