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Ethan Galbraith can't help but smile as he remembers the dramatic closing stages of his team's epic comeback victory against Nottingham Forest in the EFL Cup. That match wrapped up with Galbraith picking up a supporter's spectacles after the pitch-side pile-on.

During the final moments of stoppage time, Galbraith cracked the upright with a long-range shot from distance, and his teammate quickly converted the rebound before sprinting toward the home end to revel in the moment, with fans mobbing the players.

Stunning Reversal

The result sealed an incredible comeback given the Welsh side had trailed 2-0 midway through the latter period. During the euphoria, there was some unintended consequences. Galbraith explained, "There was a spectator sort of calling out and Josh Key and I were wondering: 'What's he on about here?' Then we noticed 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 joke with the fans is always good."

Premier League Giants

The victory booked a fourth-round fixture at home against Pep Guardiola's side on Wednesday, a club Galbraith ran close at the comparable phase of the FA Cup with the London side in February. He had an excellent perspective when the underdogs took the lead in remarkable manner, with Jamie Donley's volley from about way out going in via the crossbar and the Stefan Ortega. It seems unfair that it was credited as an own goal.

"You would have expected they would've awarded it to him for taking the effort on from that range," says Galbraith, who started in midfield before switching to right wing-back after the team changed tactics. That meant getting to grips with the England international, with whom he traded tops, and the attacker was among the opposition who praised the way his former team approached the match.

Guardiola's System

"Athletically they are very good but even the fundamentals and basic skills, they can just do it over and over again," the midfielder notes. "It seems as if they complete every delivery and they know how to manage and take the sting out of a game. You can think you're all right and then suddenly they will just fizz a pass through a line without you even noticing. You have to be alert throughout of the game. It demands a strong mentality and focus just to remain competitive."

New Chapter

The Welsh side sought to acquire Galbraith in January and fought off rivals to bring him in in the summer in a significant move. He established himself as a crowd pleaser across two seasons at Leyton Orient and has quickly done the same in south Wales. At his previous team he linked up again with his former manager, who previously gave Galbraith his initial sustained opportunity in first-team action on loan at his loan club from United. Then came a temporary move at League Two Salford City, before he moved on from Manchester United.

Development Path

"I was perhaps a slightly green going into senior level. I think numerous professionals would say under-23s football is very different. Sometimes it feels like the ball is moved without much intensity. You see few hard challenges. Once you start playing men's games you have to adapt rapidly."

National Team Success

He has shown that maturation for club and country, excelling for the Green and White Army, who could still reach the global tournament next summer via the knockout phase and for whom he has featured in the recent fixtures, including both legs encounters against Germany. His former international manager, Galbraith's ex- international manager, paid him the ultimate compliment, saying he was Northern Ireland's "creative maestro" given how he handles the football and his knack for a decisive through ball.

Early Days

This represents quite the ride for the kid from the local area in Glengormley, just outside Northern Ireland's main city, who was raised observing his dad, Stuart, also a central player, play for a local club.

Manchester United Experience

The player's single match for United came in Kazakhstan in 2019, a Europa League trip to the Kazakh capital, where they played on an synthetic surface and the venue ceiling was shut owing to conditions of bitter cold. "It was a extended travel and it was chilly," he recalls, smiling. "The week before, several youth players and I practiced as a group, so that aided our adjustment. Just to join the main group and earn some playing time at the end was incredible."

Departing Old Trafford

What was the challenge was it to leave United, the club he signed from his boyhood team aged 16? "This turned out fairly simple, because I got to the stage where I understood I wouldn't break through at the senior squad. I'm very appreciative for the time I spent there but it got to the point where I thought I needed to go my own route, move to a lower level and play professional soccer. Now I'm slowly progressing again."

Welsh Adaptation

This occurs during the early part of the afternoon at Swansea's Fairwood training base but Galbraith has a commitment at 5pm: a driving theory test, another move in the direction of getting on the road. Before his recent move to Sketty, the young professional was a frequent passenger in Swansea's nicknamed fun bus, a small coach driven by academy staff, the transport team, which shuttles players to and from sessions and fixtures.

"My companions include a teammate, another squad member, an Ivorian player – Melker Widell used to be in it but has begun using his own car. It's enjoyable to interact with the lads but I'm hoping to be the subsequent individual to stop using the bus and on the road. His teammate is known for his humor; he's frequently playing tricks."

Public Engagement

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