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Ethan Galbraith can't help but smile as he recalls the nail-biting dying seconds of his team's remarkable turnaround triumph against Nottingham Forest in the League Cup. The encounter culminated with Galbraith briefly donning a spectator's eyewear after the on-field celebration.

With the clock ticking into the 97th minute, Galbraith struck the post with a powerful strike from outside the box, and his teammate promptly hammered in the deflection before racing off toward the home end to revel in the moment, with supporters swarming the players.

Remarkable Recovery

The victory completed an extraordinary recovery given Swansea had found themselves down 2-0 midway through the final 45 minutes. In the euphoria, there was some collateral damage. Galbraith explained, "There was a spectator trying to get our attention and myself and Keysy [Josh Key] 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 laugh with the fans is always good."

Premier League Giants

The victory booked a upcoming game at home against Manchester City on Wednesday, opponents Galbraith pushed hard at the same stage of the FA Cup with Leyton Orient in February. Galbraith had an excellent perspective when the underdogs took the lead in spectacular fashion, with the attacker's first-time shot from about long distance going in via the woodwork and the opposition keeper. Many argued that it was deemed an own goal.

"You would have hoped they would've credited him for attempting the shot from that distance," stated Galbraith, who started in midfield before switching to right flank after the team changed shape. That meant getting to grips with City's winger, with whom he traded tops, and the player was among the City players who complimented the way Orient attacked the game.

Guardiola's System

"Athletically they are very good but even the basics and basic skills, they can just execute repeatedly," Galbraith says. "It seems as if they never miss a pass and they understand how to control and take the sting out of a game. You can feel you're doing well and then suddenly they will just thread a ball past your midfield without you even spotting it. You have to be alert throughout of the game. It requires a strong mentality and concentration just to keep pace."

Welsh Transition

The club were keen on Galbraith in January and beat off competition to sign him in the summer in a significant move. He made a name as a popular figure across multiple campaigns at Orient and has swiftly achieved similar status in south Wales. At the London club he linked up again with his former manager, who earlier gave Galbraith his initial sustained opportunity in first-team action on loan at his loan club from United. Then came a loan at lower division Salford, before he moved on from his boyhood club.

Learning Curve

"I was perhaps a bit naive going into professional soccer. I think many athletes would say under-23s football is entirely separate. Sometimes it seems play is circulated without real physicality. There's not many tackles or duels. Once you start playing men's games you have to learn quickly."

National Team Success

He has shown that growth for both domestically and internationally, excelling for his national side, who are fighting to qualify for the global tournament next summer via the knockout phase and for whom he has started the past five games, including home and away games against a football powerhouse. The ex-coach, Galbraith's previous international manager, gave him the highest praise, saying he was Northern Ireland's "little Iniesta or Xavi" given how he handles the football and his ability to spot a game-changing assist.

Starting Out

It has been a remarkable path for the kid from the Queens Park estate in the Belfast suburb, just outside Belfast, who used to see his dad, the elder Galbraith, also a central player, play for his father's team.

Manchester United Experience

Galbraith's only game for the Red Devils came in Central Asia in 2019, a European competition trip to the host city, where they played on an synthetic surface and the stadium roof was closed owing to conditions of freezing cold. "It was a extended travel and it was freezing," he says, grinning. "The week before, myself and quite a few of the young lads practiced as a group, so that aided our adjustment. Just to join the main group and earn some playing time at the end was amazing."

Moving On

How hard was it to depart Manchester United, the club he signed from his boyhood team aged 16? "This turned out relatively straightforward, because I got to the stage where I realized I wasn't going to make it at the senior squad. I'm hugely grateful for the experience gained but it became apparent where I believed I needed to go my own route, drop down the leagues and play professional soccer. Now I'm slowly progressing again."

Welsh Adaptation

It is the early part of the afternoon at the team's practice facility but Galbraith has somewhere to be at 5pm: a learner's exam, another step towards getting on the road. Until recently to his new neighborhood, the 24-year-old was a constant rider in Swansea's dubbed team minibus, a team vehicle driven by team personnel, the drivers, which ferries players to and from training and matches.

"It's myself a teammate, another squad member, the midfielder – Melker Widell used to be in it but has begun using his own car. It's pleasant to socialize with the lads but I'm planning to be the next one to drive independently and on the road. The Portuguese player likes to pull a few pranks; he's always up to all sorts."

Fan Interactions

When he represented Leyton Orient, Galbraith would travel alongside followers on London's Central line after beginning his trip at his base. "I tried|I attempted|My aim