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Ethan Galbraith grins broadly as he remembers the thrilling closing stages of his team's remarkable turnaround victory against Nottingham Forest in the League Cup. That match wrapped up with Galbraith picking up a fan's glasses amid the post-goal scrum.

As the match entered added time, Galbraith struck the post with a speculative shot from 25 yards, and his teammate promptly converted the deflection before charging toward the crowd to mark the goal, with supporters congregating around the players.

Remarkable Recovery

This capped an extraordinary recovery given Swansea had found themselves down 2-0 during the latter period. Amid the euphoria, there was some minor mishaps. Galbraith explained, "There was a fan shouting out and myself and Keysy [Josh Key] were wondering: 'What's he on about here?' Then we saw the glasses. It was a light-hearted moment putting them on. We are on the pitch as athletes but we're people, too, so to have a bit of craic with the fans is always good."

Pep Guardiola Test

That win booked a next round fixture at home against Pep Guardiola's side on Wednesday, opponents Galbraith came close against at the comparable phase of the FA Cup with the London side in February. He had a prime vantage point when his former team took the lead in remarkable manner, with the attacker's first-time shot from about way out going in via the crossbar and the Stefan Ortega. It seems unfair that it was deemed an own goal.

"You would have expected they would've awarded it to him for attempting the shot from that range," commented Galbraith, who started in midfield before shifting to right flank after Orient changed tactics. That meant getting to grips with City's winger, with whom he exchanged jerseys, and the attacker was among the opposition who complimented the way the underdogs attacked the game.

City's Quality

"Physically they are exceptional but even the simple things and routine actions, they can just perform consistently," Galbraith says. "It feels like they always find their target and they understand how to manage and slow down a game. You can think you're holding your own and then suddenly they will just deliver a through ball through a line without you even noticing. You have to be focused at all times of the game. It demands a resilient mindset and focus just to keep pace."

Welsh Transition

The Welsh side pushed to sign Galbraith in January and fought off rivals to secure him in the summer in a seven-figure transfer. He became a favorite as a crowd pleaser across a couple of years at Leyton Orient and has rapidly done the same in south Wales. At Orient he linked up again with Richie Wellens, who previously gave Galbraith his debut prolonged spell in first-team action on loan at a League One side from Old Trafford. Then came a spell at lower division Salford City, before he permanently left Manchester United.

Learning Curve

"I was probably a somewhat inexperienced going into men's football. I think a lot of players would say youth team games is very different. Sometimes it feels like the ball is moved without serious challenge. There are limited tackles or duels. Once you start playing first-team football you have to adapt rapidly."

International Recognition

He has demonstrated that maturation for both domestically and internationally, excelling for his national side, who are fighting to qualify for the international competition next summer via the qualifying rounds and for whom he has featured in the past five games, including both legs fixtures against Germany. The ex-coach, Galbraith's former international manager, paid him the supreme accolade, saying he was Northern Ireland's "midfield general" given how he handles the football and his eye for a decisive through ball.

Humble Beginnings

It has been an incredible journey for the youngster from the Queens Park estate in Glengormley, just outside the capital, who grew up watching his parent, Stuart, also a midfielder, play for his father's team.

Red Devils Debut

The player's sole appearance for Manchester United came in Central Asia in 2019, a continental tournament trip to Astana, where they competed on an artificial pitch and the stadium roof was shut owing to conditions of freezing cold. "That proved to be a extended travel and it was cold out there," he recalls, smiling. "The preceding week, several youth players and I worked out jointly, so that aided our adjustment. Just to travel with the first team and make an appearance at the end was amazing."

Departing Old Trafford

What was the challenge was it to depart Manchester United, the club he signed from his boyhood team aged 16? "It was relatively straightforward, because I got to the stage where I knew I wasn't going to make it at the top level. I'm very appreciative for the experience gained but it got to the point where I felt I required a fresh start, drop down the leagues and play professional soccer. Now I'm slowly progressing again."

Life in Swansea

It is the middle of the day at Swansea's Fairwood training base but Galbraith has somewhere to be at 5pm: a road rules assessment, another move in the direction of getting on the road. Before his recent move to his new neighborhood, the 24-year-old was a frequent passenger in Swansea's so-called team minibus, a minibus driven by academy staff, Pete and Howard, which ferries players to and from training and matches.

"It's myself a teammate, the Brazilian, an Ivorian player – a former passenger used to be in it but has started driving. It's enjoyable to spend time with the teammates but I'm hoping to be the subsequent individual to stop using the bus and behind the wheel. Franco likes to pull a few pranks; he's frequently playing tricks."

Fan Interactions

When he represented Orient, Galbraith would blend in with supporters on London's Central line after starting his journey at his base. "I tried|I attempted|My aim