FOUR candidates are to be interviewed over the next two days for Worcester City's managerial post.

City's chairman Dave Boddy narrowed his search down to the hopeful quartet after receiving 36 applications by last Friday's deadline.

Boddy refused to reveal details of those being quizzed for the job vacated by John Barton 11 days ago, although former Notts County boss Gary Mills and Kidderminster Harriers youth team coach Shaun Cunnington are hotly-tipped.

An announcement on the new man is expected to be made prior to City's Nationwide North clash with league leaders Southport on Saturday.

Whoever lands the post faces a difficult task reviving City's fortunes following their sixth defeat in seven games at Worksop Town.

The St George's Lane club ended a rotten January by slumping to a 2-0 loss at Babbage Way and rarely came close to nicking a point.

City's chief scout Graham Selby, currently assisting caretaker boss John Snape in the dug-out, said the players are waiting anxiously to find out who their new manager will be.

Selby admits that an expected mid-week appointment would provide a vital pick-me-up for the team as they head towards a tough final three months of the season to save their status in the division.

He said: "It was a really big shock when John went and I think a few of them are still shell-shocked.

"It does need that injection from a new manager, to add a bit more zest and organisation to get things going. It needs the respect of somebody to pick the players right up, whoever that may be.

"I think a new manager will always have his own ideas and his own players in the back of his mind -- who he's had before, those that are tried and tested and he knows exactly what they can do.

"It's inevitable that he will bring players in and sometimes when you are in situations like this, you have got to bring players in to freshen things up a bit.

"The new man will just want to find his feet and get things set. He'll probably just want to stabilise everything and then it's a gradual process to make things better for the club.

"I don't know what sort of manager we'll get. You've got all your different managers, some have a real good go at players and others are different.

"Some are quite methodical on the park and some do things in different ways.

"We have got to start tightening up and begin to look like we can start creating a few chances again."