Ethan Galbraith breaks into a smile as he remembers the nail-biting closing stages of Swansea's remarkable turnaround victory against Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup. The game ended with Galbraith picking up a fan's glasses amid the post-goal scrum.
As the match entered added time, Galbraith cracked the upright with a powerful strike from 25 yards, and his teammate immediately slammed home the rebound before racing off toward the East Stand to mark the goal, with supporters swarming the players.
Remarkable Recovery
The result capped an unbelievable turnaround given the Welsh side had trailed 2-0 during the second half. In the delirium, there was some minor mishaps. He shared, "There was a spectator shouting out 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 footballers but we're individuals, too, so to have a joke with the fans is always good."
Premier League Giants
The victory earned a fourth-round game at home against Pep Guardiola's side on Wednesday, opponents Galbraith came close against at the same stage of the FA Cup with his former club in February. Galbraith had a prime vantage point when his former team took the lead in stunning style, with a teammate's first-time shot from about 45 yards going in via the woodwork and the City goalkeeper. It seems unfair that it was credited as an own goal.
"You would have expected they would've given it to him for taking the effort on from that range," says Galbraith, who began the game centrally before switching to right wing-back after they changed shape. That meant getting to grips with Jack Grealish, with whom he swapped shirts, and the player was among the City players who paid tribute to the way the underdogs approached the match.
Guardiola's System
"Fitness-wise they are very good but even the fundamentals and simple things, they can just do it over and over again," Galbraith says. "It seems as if they always find their target and they are adept at manage and take the sting out of a game. You can feel you're all right and then suddenly they will just deliver a through ball through a line without you even spotting it. You have to be switched on at all times of the game. It requires a strong mentality and focus just to stay in the game."
Welsh Transition
The Welsh side pushed to sign Galbraith in January and secured his signature to bring him in in the summer in a significant move. He became a favorite as a crowd pleaser across two seasons at Orient and has swiftly replicated that in south Wales. At the London club he joined forces once more with his former manager, who previously gave Galbraith his debut prolonged spell in senior football on loan at Doncaster from Manchester United. Then came a spell at lower division the Manchester club, before he departed Old Trafford.
Learning Curve
"I was perhaps a bit naive going into senior level. I think a lot of players would say under-23s football is very different. Sometimes it seems the ball is moved without much intensity. You see few hard challenges. Once you start playing men's games you have to adapt rapidly."
International Recognition
He has demonstrated that growth for his team and nation, performing well for the Green and White Army, who remain in contention for the World Cup next summer via the playoffs and for whom he has started the past five games, including two matches fixtures against Germany. The ex-coach, Galbraith's ex- international manager, gave him the ultimate compliment, saying he was Northern Ireland's "little Iniesta or Xavi" given how he controls possession and his ability to spot a game-changing assist.
Early Days
It has been an incredible journey for the player from the Queens Park estate in the Belfast suburb, just outside the capital, who used to see his dad, his father, also a midfielder, play for his father's team.
Red Devils Debut
Galbraith's only game for the Red Devils came in the away trip in 2019, a Europa League trip to Astana, where they played on an artificial pitch and the stadium roof was sealed owing to the weather of freezing cold. "That proved to be a long trip and it was cold out there," he comments, grinning. "The preceding week, myself and quite a few of the young lads practiced as a group, so that assisted our preparation. Just to join the main group and earn some playing time at the end was unbelievable."
Leaving United
What was the challenge was it to move on from Old Trafford, the club he signed from his boyhood team aged a teenager? "It was quite easy, because I arrived at the moment where I understood I wasn't going to make it at the senior squad. I'm extremely thankful for the time I spent there but it reached a stage where I believed I needed to go my own route, join a smaller club and play men's football. Now I'm slowly climbing the ladder."
New Environment
It is mid-afternoon at the team's practice facility but Galbraith has somewhere to be at 5pm: a driving theory test, another progress toward getting on the road. Until recently to the local area, the 24-year-old was a frequent passenger in Swansea's so-called player transport, a team vehicle driven by team personnel, the drivers, which transports players to and from sessions and fixtures.
"My companions include Gonçalo Franco, the Brazilian, the midfielder – a former passenger used to be in it but has started driving. It's pleasant to spend time with the guys but I'm aiming to be the following person to stop using the bus and behind the wheel. The Portuguese player likes to pull a few pranks; he's frequently playing tricks."
Fan Interactions
During his time at his former club, Galbraith would travel alongside fans on public transport after commuting at his base. "I tried|I attempted|My aim
