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Ethan Galbraith grins broadly as he remembers the nail-biting final moments of Swansea's epic comeback triumph against Nottingham Forest in the EFL Cup. The game ended with Galbraith briefly donning a fan's glasses following the post-goal scrum.

During the final moments of stoppage time, Galbraith struck the post with a powerful strike from outside the box, and his teammate quickly converted the loose ball before sprinting toward the home end to mark the goal, with the crowd swarming the players.

Remarkable Recovery

The result sealed an unbelievable recovery given the Welsh side had been behind 2-0 during the second half. During the delirium, there was some collateral damage. The midfielder recalled, "There was a fan trying to get our attention and myself and Keysy [Josh Key] were thinking: 'What's he on about here?' Then we noticed the glasses. It was a funny incident putting them on. We are on the pitch as athletes but we're people, too, so to have a joke with the fans is always good."

Premier League Giants

The result earned a fourth-round fixture at home against the Premier League champions on Wednesday, opponents Galbraith ran close at the same stage of the FA Cup with Leyton Orient in February. The athletic midfielder had a prime vantage point when the underdogs took the lead in stunning style, with Jamie Donley's long-range effort from about way out going in via the woodwork and the Stefan Ortega. It feels criminal that it was recorded as an own goal.

"You would have expected they would've given it to him for having a go from that far out," stated Galbraith, who played in the middle before moving to right flank after they changed tactics. That meant facing off against Jack Grealish, with whom he exchanged jerseys, and the player was among the Manchester squad who praised the way the underdogs attacked the game.

Opponent's Class

"Athletically they are very good but even the basics and basic skills, they can just do it over and over again," Galbraith says. "It appears that they always find their target and they are adept at control and slow down a game. You can think you're doing well and then abruptly they will just thread a ball through a line without you even noticing. You have to be switched on every second of the game. It takes a resilient mindset and attention just to remain competitive."

New Chapter

Swansea pushed to sign Galbraith in January and beat off competition to sign him in the summer in a seven-figure transfer. He established himself as a fans' favourite across two seasons at his former club and has swiftly achieved similar status in south Wales. At his previous team he joined forces once more with his former manager, who four years ago gave Galbraith his initial sustained opportunity in professional games on loan at Doncaster from Manchester United. Then came a spell at fourth-tier the Manchester club, before he departed Old Trafford.

Growth Journey

"I was probably a somewhat inexperienced going into men's football. I think a lot of players would say under-23s football is very different. Sometimes it appears the ball is moved without serious challenge. There's not many physical contests. Once you start playing professional matches you have to adapt rapidly."

International Recognition

He has shown that maturation for his team and nation, shining for Northern Ireland, who remain in contention for the global tournament next summer via the qualifying rounds and for whom he has been selected in the last several matches, including two matches games against a football powerhouse. The ex-coach, Galbraith's ex- international manager, offered the highest praise, saying he was Northern Ireland's "midfield general" given how he manipulates the ball and his eye for a game-changing assist.

Starting Out

This marks a remarkable path for the kid from the neighborhood in the Belfast suburb, just outside Belfast, who used to see his parent, the elder Galbraith, also a midfielder, play for Ballyclare Comrades.

Manchester United Experience

His sole appearance for Manchester United came in the away trip in 2019, a European competition trip to Astana, where they competed on an synthetic surface and the arena covering was shut owing to temperatures of freezing cold. "It was a long trip and it was chilly," he says, grinning. "The week before, several youth players and I trained together, 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 move on from Old Trafford, the club he joined from Linfield aged 16? "This turned out quite easy, because I arrived at the moment where I realized I wouldn't break through at the senior squad. I'm very appreciative for the years at the club but it reached a stage where I believed I required a fresh start, join a smaller club and play professional soccer. Now I'm slowly working my way back up."

New Environment

It is mid-afternoon at the team's practice facility but Galbraith has a commitment at 5pm: a driving theory test, another step towards getting on the road. Prior to relocating to his new neighborhood, the 24-year-old was a regular in Swansea's so-called fun bus, a team vehicle driven by team personnel, the transport team, which shuttles players to and from practice and games.

"It's myself a teammate, Ronald, Malick Yalcouyé – a former passenger used to be in it but has started driving. It's nice to interact with the guys but I'm planning to be the next one out of the minibus and on the road. Franco enjoys practical jokes; he's constantly causing mischief."

Supporter Connections

While playing for Leyton Orient, Galbraith would blend in with fans on London's Central line after beginning his trip at the area he lived in. "I tried|I attempted|My aim