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Ethan Galbraith grins broadly as he reminisces about the thrilling dying seconds of his team's epic comeback triumph against Nottingham Forest in the League Cup. The game ended with Galbraith picking up a supporter's spectacles amid the pitch-side pile-on.

With the clock ticking into the 97th minute, Galbraith cracked the upright with a long-range shot from 25 yards, and the defender immediately hammered in the deflection before sprinting toward the East Stand to celebrate, with the crowd mobbing the players.

Remarkable Recovery

The result capped an incredible recovery given the team had found themselves down 2-0 midway through the second half. In the celebrations, there was some collateral damage. He shared, "There was a fan trying to get our attention 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 players but we're humans, too, so to have a joke with the fans is always good."

Premier League Giants

The victory booked a upcoming game at home against the Premier League champions on Wednesday, a club Galbraith came close against at the same stage of the FA Cup with his former club in February. He had arguably the best view when Orient took the lead in stunning style, with Jamie Donley's first-time shot from about 45 yards going in via the bar and the Stefan Ortega. It feels criminal that it was credited as an own goal.

"You would have expected they would've given it to him for attempting the shot from that far out," says Galbraith, who began the game centrally before shifting to right wing-back after the team changed formation. That meant facing off against Jack Grealish, with whom he traded tops, and the attacker was among the City players who paid tribute to the way Orient played positively.

Guardiola's System

"Fitness-wise they are very good but even the basics and basic skills, they can just perform consistently," Galbraith says. "It appears that they complete every delivery and they are adept at control and slow down a game. You can think you're all right and then without warning they will just deliver a through ball past your midfield without you even spotting it. You have to be switched on every second of the game. It takes a tough attitude and concentration just to remain competitive."

Swansea Move

Swansea pushed to sign Galbraith in January and secured his signature to sign him in the summer in a £1.5m deal. He established himself as a fans' favourite across two seasons at his former club and has quickly achieved similar status in south Wales. At his previous team he linked up again with Richie Wellens, who four years ago gave Galbraith his initial sustained opportunity in senior football on loan at a League One side from Manchester United. Then came a spell at fourth-tier Salford, before he departed Old Trafford.

Development Path

"I was probably a slightly green going into senior level. I think a lot of players would say youth team games is very different. Sometimes it feels like play is circulated without serious challenge. There are limited tackles or duels. Once you start playing first-team football you have to learn quickly."

National Team Success

His progress reflects that development for both domestically and internationally, excelling for Northern Ireland, who could still reach the international competition next summer via the knockout phase and for whom he has been selected in the recent fixtures, including two matches games against the German national team. Ian Baraclough, Galbraith's former international manager, gave him the ultimate compliment, saying he was Northern Ireland's "creative maestro" given how he manipulates the ball and his ability to spot a decisive through ball.

Starting Out

This represents a remarkable path for the kid from the local area in Glengormley, just outside the capital, who was raised observing his parent, Stuart, also a midfielder, play for Ballyclare Comrades.

Red Devils Debut

His only game for United came in Kazakhstan in 2019, a European competition trip to the host city, where they competed on an synthetic surface and the stadium roof was sealed owing to the weather of -15C. "It was a lengthy journey and it was freezing," he says, smiling. "The preceding week, the academy prospects worked out jointly, so that helped us acclimatise. Just to travel with the first team and earn some playing time at the end was incredible."

Moving On

How hard was it to depart Manchester United, the club he transferred from aged a teenager? "The decision proved quite easy, because I reached the point where I knew I wasn't going to make it at the senior squad. I'm extremely thankful for the experience gained but it became apparent where I believed I needed to go my own route, drop down the leagues and play first-team games. Now I'm gradually progressing again."

New Environment

This occurs during mid-afternoon at the club's training ground but Galbraith has somewhere to be at 5pm: a learner's exam, another step towards getting on the road. Prior to relocating to his new neighborhood, the mid-twenties player was a constant rider in Swansea's nicknamed team minibus, a small coach driven by club employees, the drivers, which transports players to and from training and matches.

"I travel with the Portuguese player, the Brazilian, Malick Yalcouyé – a former passenger used to be in it but has begun using his own car. It's nice to socialize with the teammates but I'm aiming to be the subsequent individual out of the minibus and behind the wheel. His teammate is known for his humor; he's frequently playing tricks."

Supporter Connections

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