FRANK CLARK is ready to bank on the versatility of Chris Bart-Williams to cement Nottingham Forest's bid for a place in the semi-finals of the English FA Cup at the expense of Aston Villa at the City Ground tonight.
The 22-year-old former England youth mid-fielder is primed for a crucial if unfamiliar centre-back role, as five exhausting games in 15 days have taken their inevitable injury toll on the European survivors.
Boss Clark is already without suspended England international Colin Cooper - who is injured in any case - and with reserve centre backs Steve Blatherwick and Vance Warner also on the casualty list, he is still hoping Norway's Alfie Haaland will survive a late test on the groin injury that forced him off in Saturday's nail-biting, fifth round triumph at Tottenham.
If not, Bart-Williams looks the only possible choice, and Clark was encouraged by his performance in a stop-gap central role after Haaland was crocked against Spurs.
"It is the first time he's played there for us, but such is his ability that he could play anywhere with distinction," said Clark.
The manager should know because it was he who took Bart-Williams under his wing when manager of Leyton Orient. He polished the player's immense natural talent before selling him to Sheffield Wednesday for £250,000; the sale kept the little East London club financially afloat for another year.
And Clark had little hesitation in paying Wednesday £2.5 million in the summer to bring him to Forest.
"Chris had to be patient and work for his place in the first team, but since he's come in he's been very impressive.
"I always knew at Orient that we had a young kid who would really make the grade and it was a great chance to have him back workings for me when Wednesday agreed to let him go.
"He's taken to the European matches like a natural and made a great contribution to our efforts in the UEFA Cup.
"I'd like to think now that by the time we meet Bayern Munich again next week in the second leg, we'll already be sitting in the semi-finals of the FA Cup. Villa are having a great season and always seem to play well against us, but I don't see why not."
Forest must still clear slight remaining injury doubts over inspirational skipper Stuart Pearce and England winger Steve Stone who, Clark revealed, was substituted before the penalty shoot-out at Spurs because of "sheer exhaustion".
But the omens for an Old Trafford semi-final against either Liverpool or Leeds are all on their side, even though Villa had the better of both their 1-1 Premiership meetings earlier this season.
Villa's 36-year-old centre-half Paul McGrath was the only one of their current players to be born the last time the club won an FA Cup quarter-final in 1960 - a 2-0 home victory against Preston.
Six other quarter-finals - all away from Villa - Park have since been lost against Tottenham (1962), Manchester United (1977), West Ham (1980), Liverpool (1992), Arsenal (1983) and Oldham (1990).
Now McGrath and the current crop of English League Cup finalists are determined to put the record straight, but Villa are also struggling with injuries and go into battle without suspended skipper Andy Townsend.
England's Gareth Southgate and Ireland's Steve Staunton, the latest on the injury list, are sure to be badly missed in both midfield and defence.
And manager Brian Little, having already ruled out a comeback for thigh-injury victim Tommy Johnson, could give a surprise call-up to former Forest winger Franz Carr, who has made only two brief substitute appearances since a £150,000 move from Leicester in January last year.
Midfielder Ian Taylor is still rated doubtful with hamstring trouble and promising youngster Lee Hendrie is also suspended.
But McGrath is defiant, saying: "It's great to be in the middle of March and still have a say in every competition. Having already earned a place in the League Cup, final, we'd love to go back to Wembley again in May.
