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Ethan Galbraith can't help but smile as he recalls the dramatic dying seconds of Swansea's stunning fightback victory against Nottingham Forest in the EFL Cup. The encounter ended with Galbraith temporarily wearing a supporter's spectacles amid the on-field celebration.

During the final moments of stoppage time, Galbraith cracked the upright with a speculative effort from outside the box, and his teammate quickly hammered in the loose ball before charging toward the East Stand to celebrate, with fans congregating around the players.

Remarkable Recovery

This capped an extraordinary comeback given the team had trailed 2-0 during the final 45 minutes. In the euphoria, there was some minor mishaps. The midfielder recalled, "There was a spectator sort of calling out and myself and Keysy [Josh Key] were wondering: 'What's he on about here?' Then we saw the glasses. It was a bit of banter putting them on. We are on the pitch as footballers but we're humans, too, so to have a bit of craic with the fans is always good."

Manchester City Challenge

That win secured a fourth-round match at home against Pep Guardiola's side on Wednesday, opponents Galbraith ran close at the same stage of the FA Cup with the London side in February. The athletic midfielder had a prime vantage point when the underdogs took the lead in spectacular fashion, with the attacker's volley from about way out going in via the crossbar and the City goalkeeper. It feels criminal that it was credited as an own goal.

"You would have expected they would've given it to him for taking the effort on from that range," stated Galbraith, who started in midfield before shifting to right defensive wing after Orient changed tactics. That meant facing off against the England international, with whom he exchanged jerseys, and the attacker was among the opposition who complimented the way his former team played positively.

City's Quality

"Physically they are exceptional but even the fundamentals and basic skills, they can just do it over and over again," he explains. "It feels like they always find their target and they know how to dictate and take the sting out of a game. You can believe you're doing well and then without warning they will just thread a ball between defenders without you even seeing. You have to be alert every second of the game. It demands a tough attitude and attention just to remain competitive."

New Chapter

The Welsh side sought to acquire Galbraith in January and secured his signature to bring him in in the summer in a £1.5m deal. He made a name as a popular figure across multiple campaigns at Orient and has quickly replicated that in south Wales. At the London club he linked up again with the coach, who previously gave Galbraith his first extended run in senior football on loan at a League One side from Manchester United. Then came a loan at fourth-tier Salford City, before he departed his boyhood club.

Development Path

"I was probably a bit naive going into men's football. I think a lot of players would say development squad matches is very different. Sometimes it appears play is circulated without much intensity. You see few tackles or duels. Once you start playing first-team football you have to adjust fast."

International Recognition

He has demonstrated that development for club and country, excelling for the Green and White Army, who are fighting to qualify for the global tournament next summer via the knockout phase and for whom he has been selected in the last several matches, including two matches games against Germany. Ian Baraclough, Galbraith's ex- international manager, offered the highest praise, saying he was Northern Ireland's "midfield general" given how he controls possession and his ability to spot a decisive through ball.

Humble Beginnings

It has been quite the ride for the youngster from the Queens Park estate in the Belfast suburb, just outside Northern Ireland's main city, who used to see his dad, Stuart, also a central player, play for his father's team.

Red Devils Debut

His sole appearance for Manchester United came in Kazakhstan in 2019, a continental tournament trip to the Kazakh capital, where they played on an synthetic surface and the venue ceiling was closed owing to temperatures of -15C. "This represented a long trip and it was chilly," he recalls, chuckling. "The days leading up, myself and quite a few of the young lads trained together, so that helped us acclimatise. Just to travel with the first team and get a couple of minutes at the end was unbelievable."

Moving On

How hard was it to depart Manchester United, the club he joined from Linfield aged his mid-teens? "The decision proved relatively straightforward, because I got to the stage where I knew I couldn't establish myself at the top level. I'm extremely thankful for the experience gained but it reached a stage where I believed I required a fresh start, drop down the leagues and play men's football. Now I'm gradually progressing again."

Life in Swansea

It is the middle of the day at the team's practice facility but Galbraith has an appointment at 5pm: a road rules assessment, another progress toward getting on the road. Until recently to the local area, the 24-year-old was a frequent passenger in Swansea's nicknamed fun bus, a team vehicle driven by team personnel, Pete and Howard, which shuttles players to and from sessions and fixtures.

"It's myself a teammate, Ronald, Malick Yalcouyé – a former passenger used to be in it but has begun using his own car. It's enjoyable to spend time with the lads but I'm aiming to be the following person out of the minibus and on the road. Franco is known for his humor; he's always up to all sorts."

Public Engagement

While playing for Leyton Orient, Galbraith would blend in with followers on the Tube after starting his journey at the area he lived in. "I tried|I attempted|My aim