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Ethan Galbraith grins broadly as he recalls the dramatic final moments of his team's remarkable turnaround victory against Nottingham Forest in the EFL Cup. The encounter culminated with Galbraith briefly donning 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 strike from 25 yards, and his teammate promptly hammered in the rebound before sprinting toward the home end to revel in the moment, with fans swarming the players.

Extraordinary Turnaround

The victory sealed an extraordinary recovery given the Welsh side had trailed 2-0 midway through the final 45 minutes. In the euphoria, there was some minor mishaps. The midfielder recalled, "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 funny incident putting them on. We are on the pitch as footballers but we're humans, too, so to have a laugh with the fans is always good."

Pep Guardiola Test

That win earned a next round fixture at home against Pep Guardiola's side on Wednesday, a club Galbraith came close against at the equivalent round of the FA Cup with his former club in February. The athletic midfielder had an excellent perspective when his former team took the lead in remarkable manner, with the attacker's long-range effort from about 45 yards going in via the crossbar and the City goalkeeper. It feels criminal that it was credited as an own goal.

"You would have hoped they would've awarded it to him for attempting the shot from that range," says Galbraith, who started in midfield before moving to right defensive wing after Orient changed formation. That meant getting to grips with Jack Grealish, with whom he traded tops, and the player was among the opposition who praised the way Orient approached the match.

Opponent's Class

"Physically they are outstanding but even the simple things and routine actions, they can just do it over and over again," the midfielder notes. "It appears that they complete every delivery and they are adept at manage and neutralize a game. You can think you're holding your own and then without warning they will just thread a ball past your midfield without you even noticing. You have to be focused every second of the game. It demands a strong mentality and concentration just to keep pace."

New Chapter

The Welsh side were keen on Galbraith in January and fought off rivals to bring him in in the summer in a £1.5m deal. He established himself as a crowd pleaser across multiple campaigns at his former club and has rapidly replicated that in his new home. At Orient he reunited with Richie Wellens, who four years ago gave Galbraith his initial sustained opportunity in professional games on loan at Doncaster from Old Trafford. Then came a spell at League Two the Manchester club, before he permanently left Manchester United.

Growth Journey

"I was likely a somewhat inexperienced going into senior level. I think a lot of players would say under-23s football is entirely separate. Sometimes it feels like the ball is moved without serious challenge. There's not many tackles or duels. Once you start playing men's games you have to learn quickly."

International Recognition

His progress reflects that growth for club and country, excelling for his national side, who remain in contention for the global tournament next summer via the qualifying rounds and for whom he has started the last several matches, including two matches encounters against Germany. Ian Baraclough, Galbraith's previous 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 killer pass.

Starting Out

It has been quite the ride for the kid from the neighborhood in his hometown, just outside Northern Ireland's main city, who grew up watching his parent, Stuart, also a central player, play for a local club.

Manchester United Experience

Galbraith's sole appearance for Manchester United came in Kazakhstan in 2019, a continental tournament trip to the host city, where they competed on an plastic turf and the venue ceiling was sealed owing to conditions of bitter cold. "It was a lengthy journey and it was chilly," he comments, grinning. "The preceding week, the academy prospects trained together, so that helped us acclimatise. Just to travel with the first team and earn some playing time at the end was amazing."

Departing Old Trafford

How difficult was it to depart Manchester United, the club he transferred from aged his mid-teens? "It was fairly simple, because I reached the point where I knew I wasn't going to make it at the top level. I'm very appreciative for the experience gained but it got to the point where I believed I had to take a different path, drop down the leagues and play professional soccer. Now I'm slowly climbing the ladder."

Welsh Adaptation

This occurs during mid-afternoon at the club's training ground but Galbraith has a commitment at 5pm: a road rules assessment, another progress toward getting on the road. Until recently to the local area, the 24-year-old was a regular in Swansea's nicknamed fun bus, a small coach driven by academy staff, the drivers, which transports players to and from practice and games.

"I travel with Gonçalo Franco, Ronald, Malick Yalcouyé – the Swedish defender used to be in it but has got his license. It's enjoyable to interact with the lads but I'm hoping to be the subsequent individual out of the minibus and behind the wheel. Franco likes to pull a few pranks; he's frequently playing tricks."

Fan Interactions

During his time at Leyton Orient, Galbraith would mix with supporters on public transport after commuting at his base. "I tried|I attempted|My aim