WHEN it comes to sustained progress in football, stability is a key factor.

Unfortunately, that cannot be said of Worcester City’s team selections at present.

Such has been the disruption to the squad in recent months, the Blue and Whites don’t know who they are going to have available from one game to the next.

Manager Carl Heeley has not been able to name the same starting 11 for two consecutive games since the FA Cup clashes against Scunthorpe United in December.

Indeed, only four players — captain Ellis Deeney, Daniel Nti, Mike Symons and Sean Geddes — who faced the Lincolnshire club in the replay at Aggborough took to the field for Tuesday’s 4-0 drubbing by Fylde.

Crucially, none of those are defenders, which is the area hit most since the turn of the year.

On that legendary night in front of the BT Sport cameras, George Williams, Graham Hutchison, Wayne Thomas and Tyler Weir all started, with keeper Nathan Vaughan behind them.

Now, only two of those — Vaughan and Weir — are still at the club and they have both been out since January with foot injuries.

The loss of Williams and Hutchison have hit hard but the money generated by their respective sales to Barnsley and Halifax softened the blow.

City are not a cash-rich club so being offered two undisclosed five-figure fees for the duo was not something they could afford to turn down.

Neither are they the sort of club to stand in the way of a player wanting to further their careers.

In both cases, Worcester were a victim of their own success, excelling with the pair while at the same time drawing the attention of suitors.

Last weekend’s departure of Thomas, a hugely influential figure, could not have come at a worse time but the arrival of Anthony Charles has at least topped up the experience levels.

As an onlooker, though, you can’t help wonder what City might have achieved had they kept that backline, with the occasional cameo from Jacob Rowe for either Thomas or Hutchison, together.

After all, Worcester didn’t lose from September 27 until that penalty shoot-out defeat to Scunthorpe almost three months later.

At that stage, they were seventh in Conference North and genuine contenders for the promotion play-offs. Not that their current position of 11th is anything to be ashamed of.

In fact, given that upheaval, which has also been compounded by injury to Danny Jackman and Shabir Khan’s six-game suspension, City are doing remarkably well and are set for their best finish since the 2011-12 campaign.

In on-loan Port Vale keeper Ryan Boot they have a safe pair of hands, while Kyle Haynes has grown into the right-back role and will continue to do so.

When Weir returns, Worcester might be able to find the stability they crave.