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Ethan Galbraith grins broadly as he remembers the dramatic dying seconds of his team's stunning fightback triumph against Nottingham Forest in the EFL Cup. The encounter culminated with Galbraith briefly donning a supporter's spectacles following the post-goal scrum.

As the match entered added time, Galbraith cracked the upright with a speculative strike from distance, and Cameron Burgess quickly converted the rebound before racing off toward the home end to celebrate, with the crowd congregating around the players.

Remarkable Recovery

The result capped an extraordinary comeback given the team had found themselves down 2-0 midway through the latter period. Amid the celebrations, there was some unintended consequences. The midfielder recalled, "There was a supporter trying to get our attention and myself and Keysy [Josh Key] were wondering: 'What's he on about here?' Then we saw the glasses. It was a funny incident putting them on. We are on the pitch as players but we're people, too, so to have a laugh with the fans is always good."

Pep Guardiola Test

The victory earned a upcoming fixture at home against Manchester City on Wednesday, a club Galbraith pushed hard at the same stage of the FA Cup with the London side in February. He had arguably the best view when the underdogs took the lead in stunning style, with Jamie Donley's first-time shot from about long distance going in via the bar and the opposition keeper. It feels criminal that it was deemed an own goal.

"You would have hoped they would've given it to him for taking the effort on from that far out," stated Galbraith, who started in midfield before moving to right wing-back after they changed tactics. That meant competing with City's winger, with whom he traded tops, and the attacker was among the Manchester squad who praised the way his former team played positively.

Opponent's Class

"Fitness-wise they are very good but even the basics and basic skills, they can just execute repeatedly," the midfielder notes. "It seems as if they never miss a pass and they know how to control and neutralize a game. You can feel you're all right and then suddenly they will just fizz a pass through a line without you even noticing. You have to be focused every second of the game. It requires a strong mentality and attention just to remain competitive."

Welsh Transition

Swansea sought to acquire Galbraith in January and beat off competition to bring him in in the summer in a £1.5m deal. He established himself as a fans' favourite across multiple campaigns at Orient and has swiftly replicated that in Wales. At his previous team he joined forces once more with Richie Wellens, who four years ago gave Galbraith his first extended run in senior football on loan at a League One side from Manchester United. Then came a spell at League Two the Manchester club, before he moved on from Old Trafford.

Development Path

"I was likely a bit naive going into senior level. I think a lot of players would say development squad matches is completely distinct. Sometimes it seems possession is exchanged without much intensity. There are limited hard challenges. Once you start playing first-team football you have to adjust fast."

Country Call-ups

His progress reflects that development for his team and nation, excelling for Northern Ireland, who could still reach the international competition next summer via the playoffs and for whom he has started the past five games, including home and away games against the German national team. His former international manager, Galbraith's ex- international manager, gave him the ultimate compliment, saying he was Northern Ireland's "little Iniesta or Xavi" given how he controls possession and his knack for a game-changing assist.

Starting Out

This marks quite the ride for the player from the local area in the Belfast suburb, just outside Northern Ireland's main city, who grew up watching his parent, his father, also a midfielder, play for a local club.

Old Trafford Memory

Galbraith's sole appearance for United came in Central Asia in 2019, a European competition trip to the host city, where they featured on an plastic turf and the venue ceiling was closed owing to temperatures of bitter cold. "It was a long trip and it was cold out there," he says, grinning. "The preceding week, several youth players and I trained together, so that assisted our preparation. Just to travel with the first team and earn some playing time at the end was amazing."

Moving On

How difficult was it to move on from Old Trafford, the club he transferred from aged his mid-teens? "It was relatively straightforward, because I reached the point where I knew I wouldn't break through at the top level. I'm very appreciative for the experience gained but it got to the point where I felt I had to take a different path, drop down the leagues and play professional soccer. Now I'm slowly climbing the ladder."

Life in Swansea

This occurs during mid-afternoon at the team's practice facility but Galbraith has a commitment at 5pm: a driving theory test, another step towards getting on the road. Before his recent move to Sketty, the 24-year-old was a frequent passenger in Swansea's dubbed player transport, a small coach driven by club employees, the drivers, which shuttles players to and from sessions and fixtures.

"My companions include a teammate, Ronald, an Ivorian player – a former passenger used to be in it but has started driving. It's pleasant to spend time with the lads but I'm planning to be the next one to drive independently and on the road. Franco is known for his humor; he's always up to all sorts."

Fan Interactions

During his time at Orient, Galbraith would travel alongside supporters on public transport after beginning his trip at Brentwood. "I tried|I attempted|My aim