Lee Elam is too young to remember Nottingham Forest's glory years.

He had not even reached his third birthday when Trevor Francis broke Malmo's resistance in Munich with the far-post header which clinched Forest their first European crown.

Their repeat success the following season similarly passed him by. But a quarter of a century on, the Bradford-born midfielder is on the brink of inflicting the lowest point in the history of a once-proud club.

Elam is a key player for Weymouth, the non-leaguers from the Conference South who have already gone halfway to disposing of Forest in the FA Cup.

Forest's first appearance in the competition's opening round since 1950 is turning into a nightmare. After a 1-1 draw at the City Ground, they now head to Dorset for the replay on Monday night.

Sensing blood, the Sky TV cameras will be present to capture every uncomfortable moment.

And winger Elam, a former pupil at Yorkshire Martyrs, cannot imagine Forest are relishing the prospect.

"I think they were shocked by how well we played up there and in the end we

finished the game on the front foot," he said.

"Although we start underdogs again, I think they will be a bit nervous because of what's at stake.

"We've got quite a good pitch and that might suit their style of play more but we've definitely got a chance."

Weymouth are hardly the traditional collection of bricklayers, postmen and blacksmiths of FA Cup legend. All the players are full-time professionals and the club harbour ambitions beyond reaching the Conference.

With plenty of league experience in the ranks, they are not easily fazed by Forest's past reputation.

Elam said: "Everything is in place at

the moment. The owners are looking at making real progress and we're well placed at the top of the league.

"I've been around a few clubs but it

was a bit daunting coming down here at first because all my family still live in Bradford. But I've been impressed with the club and there's a really good feel about it."

Elam, 27, played in the same sixth-form team as Huddersfield's former Park Avenue midfielder Chris Brandon and the pair are still close pals.

While Brandon has carved himself a career in the Football League, Elam has been a regular mover among non-league clubs.

He was at City as a junior but drifted out of the game for a couple of years before linking up with Bobby Davison at Guiseley. They were the first of ten clubs, which included a seven-month stint at Yeovil, where he made a dozen league appearances.

Elam scored once in Division Two against Southend in November 2003 but the most memorable goal of his career came 12 months earlier in Morecambe's FA Cup upset win at Chesterfield. To make it sweeter, Brandon was playing for the beaten home side.

Morecambe reached the third round before losing 4-0 to Ipswich at Portman Road in front of 18,500 fans.

That remained the biggest match of Elam's career until Nottingham Forest's ball came out of the bag.

Weymouth had just beaten Cambridge United to reach the first round proper when the draw came through.

"We all heard it in the clubhouse and the place went mad," said Elam, who joined the Terras at the end of September after following his former Hornchurch manager Garry Hill.

"But we thought it was just a case of going up there and enjoying the experience of playing at a big ground.

"We were a bit scared at first and gave them too much respect. They got the goal just before half-time but that seemed to settle us down more than them.

"We looked good and really got in their faces and after the equaliser, I thought we were the more likely winners.

"Now it's up to us to go out and do it again on Monday."