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Ethan Galbraith can't help but smile as he remembers the dramatic final moments of his team's remarkable turnaround victory against Nottingham Forest in the EFL Cup. That match culminated with Galbraith temporarily wearing a supporter's spectacles after the post-goal scrum.

As the match entered added time, Galbraith cracked the upright with a powerful effort from 25 yards, and the defender promptly converted the deflection before racing off toward the East Stand to mark the goal, with supporters congregating around the players.

Stunning Reversal

The victory sealed an incredible recovery given the Welsh side had been behind 2-0 midway through the final 45 minutes. During the celebrations, there was some collateral damage. The midfielder recalled, "There was a spectator shouting out and Josh Key and I were puzzled: 'What's he on about here?' Then we spotted the glasses. It was a light-hearted moment putting them on. We are on the pitch as footballers but we're individuals, too, so to have a laugh with the fans is always good."

Premier League Giants

The result earned a next round match at home against the Premier League champions on Wednesday, opponents Galbraith ran close at the equivalent round of the FA Cup with Leyton Orient in February. He had an excellent perspective when his former team took the lead in spectacular fashion, with Jamie Donley's volley from about 45 yards going in via the woodwork and the City goalkeeper. Many argued that it was credited as an own goal.

"You would have wished they would've awarded it to him for attempting the shot from that distance," says Galbraith, who began the game centrally before switching to right wing-back after the team changed tactics. That meant facing off against City's winger, with whom he swapped shirts, and the winger was among the City players who complimented the way Orient approached the match.

Opponent's Class

"Fitness-wise they are outstanding but even the fundamentals and basic skills, they can just perform consistently," he explains. "It seems as if they never miss a pass and they know how to control and take the sting out of a game. You can feel you're holding your own and then abruptly they will just fizz a pass between defenders without you even seeing. You have to be switched on every second of the game. It demands a tough attitude and concentration just to remain competitive."

Swansea Move

The Welsh side were keen on Galbraith in January and secured his signature to secure him in the summer in a seven-figure transfer. He became a favorite as a crowd pleaser across two seasons at Leyton Orient and has quickly achieved similar status in south Wales. At the London club he joined forces once more with his former manager, who earlier gave Galbraith his debut prolonged spell in first-team action on loan at his loan club from United. Then came a spell at League Two Salford City, before he departed his boyhood club.

Learning Curve

"I was likely a bit naive going into senior level. I think a lot of players would say under-23s football is very different. Sometimes it seems the ball is moved without much intensity. There's not many hard challenges. Once you start playing men's games you have to learn quickly."

Country Call-ups

He has demonstrated that development for both domestically and internationally, shining for the Green and White Army, who are fighting to qualify for the World Cup next summer via the knockout phase and for whom he has been selected in the recent fixtures, including home and away games against Germany. The ex-coach, Galbraith's former international manager, gave him the supreme accolade, saying he was Northern Ireland's "creative maestro" given how he handles the football and his eye for a killer pass.

Starting Out

This represents a remarkable path for the player from the local area in his hometown, just outside Belfast, who grew up watching his dad, his father, also a engine room operator, play for a local club.

Red Devils Debut

The player's single match for United came in Kazakhstan in 2019, a European competition trip to the host city, where they competed on an synthetic surface and the venue ceiling was sealed owing to temperatures of freezing cold. "That proved to be a lengthy journey and it was cold out there," he recalls, smiling. "The days leading up, myself and quite a few of the young lads practiced as a group, so that assisted our preparation. Just to accompany the senior squad and get a couple of minutes at the end was incredible."

Leaving United

What was the challenge was it to leave United, the club he transferred from aged his mid-teens? "It was fairly simple, because I arrived at the moment where I realized I couldn't establish myself at the senior squad. I'm hugely grateful for the time I spent there but it reached a stage where I felt I required a fresh start, move to a lower level and play professional soccer. Now I'm slowly climbing the ladder."

New Environment

This occurs during mid-afternoon at the team's practice facility but Galbraith has an appointment at late afternoon: a learner's exam, another progress toward getting on the road. Before his recent move to Sketty, the mid-twenties player was a frequent passenger in Swansea's nicknamed player transport, a small coach driven by academy staff, the drivers, which transports players to and from sessions and fixtures.

"I travel with a teammate, the Brazilian, an Ivorian player – a former passenger used to be in it but has begun using his own car. It's pleasant to socialize with the teammates but I'm aiming to be the following person out of the minibus and on the road. The Portuguese player is known for his humor; he's constantly causing mischief."

Public Engagement

When he represented his former club, Galbraith would travel alongside supporters on London's Central line after commuting at Brentwood. "I tried|I attempted|My aim