Latest news with #EthanGalbraith
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Orient's future is 'exciting' despite play-off final loss
Leyton Orient midfielder Ethan Galbraith said the future is exciting for the club, despite the sting of losing the play-off final to Charlton Athletic at Wembley on Sunday. Galbraith's side finished sixth in the League One table during the regular season, seven points and two places below their opponents. The only goal of the game was a first-half free-kick from Charlton's Macaulay Gillesphey as the Addicks sealed a return to the second tier. The 24-year-old told BBC Radio London: "We are all gutted and disappointed, but on the other side we've had a great season. "It came down to a moment which didn't go our way, but I'm just very proud of the lads and everyone involved in the club. "We hit the post, we hit the bar. Congratulations to Charlton, they obviously took their [moment]. I think we were a bit unlucky," he added. Charlton beat Orient to win promotion to Championship Pain for Wellens as exciting chapter ends so soon In the final, Richie Wellens' side had 16 shots, compared to just five for the winning team. "We started a bit slow, a bit unlike us, we're learning," Galbraith admitted. "Hopefully next time we are here, we can start better and play our game a bit more. "I think it just comes down to the occasion. The pitch feels bigger. It felt massive." There is now a relatively short summer for the team to have a break and then plan next season, with League One action resuming again on 1-3 August, the weekend before the Championship season begins. "We're disappointed for a couple of days, but after that we'll look towards next season and for the club there can only be excitement," said Galbraith, who has been named in the Northern Ireland squad for two friendly matches next month. "It's a young group. All of our loans – Jamie [Donley], Jack [Currie], Josh [Keeley] – can take a lot from this. "Hopefully all the lads get here again and hopefully they are on the right side of it."
BBC News
26-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Orient's future is 'exciting' despite play-off final loss
Leyton Orient midfielder Ethan Galbraith said the future is exciting for the club, despite the sting of losing the play-off final to Charlton Athletic at Wembley on side finished sixth in the League One table during the regular season, seven points and two places below their only goal of the game was a first-half free-kick from Charlton's Macaulay Gillesphey as the Addicks sealed a return to the second 24-year-old told BBC Radio London: "We are all gutted and disappointed, but on the other side we've had a great season. "It came down to a moment which didn't go our way, but I'm just very proud of the lads and everyone involved in the club."We hit the post, we hit the bar. Congratulations to Charlton, they obviously took their [moment]. I think we were a bit unlucky," he added. 'The pitch felt massive' In the final, Richie Wellens' side had 16 shots, compared to just five for the winning team."We started a bit slow, a bit unlike us, we're learning," Galbraith admitted."Hopefully next time we are here, we can start better and play our game a bit more. "I think it just comes down to the occasion. The pitch feels bigger. It felt massive."There is now a relatively short summer for the team to have a break and then plan next season, with League One action resuming again on 1-3 August, the weekend before the Championship season begins."We're disappointed for a couple of days, but after that we'll look towards next season and for the club there can only be excitement," said Galbraith, who has been named in the Northern Ireland squad for two friendly matches next month."It's a young group. All of our loans – Jamie [Donley], Jack [Currie], Josh [Keeley] – can take a lot from this."Hopefully all the lads get here again and hopefully they are on the right side of it."
Daily Mirror
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Ex-Man Utd starlet says he's not Premier League level despite manager's praise
Ethan Galbraith is looking to seal Leyton Orient's return to the second tier in today's play-off against Charlton but the ex-Manchester United player insists he feels he has a way to go to be Premier League level Ethan Galbraith is building back better but while his manager is convinced that the Leyton Orient star is already Premier League quality, Galbraith insists he is not there yet. The Northern Ireland international has plenty of similarities with Os boss Richie Wellens. Both midfielders were released by Manchester United as youngsters after solitary first-team appearances. Wellens went on to have a long, successful career from the old Third Division to the second tier. And Galbraith, the man Charlton must silence at Wembley this afternoon, is well on his way to doing the same. 'There is no doubt in my mind that Ethan Galbraith is a Premier League player,' Wellens says. Galbraith, however, believes he is only part-way through the journey. 'It's obviously nice,' he says of Wellens' appraisal. 'But at the minute I don't feel I'm quite there. As a footballer you strive to get as far as you can, so if I do manage to get there in the future it will be unbelievable. For now I'm just focused on the here and now.' Galbraith, who has also been used as a right back this season, says being able to absorb Wellens' knowledge has been key. Yet he reckons he still needs to improve 'everything around the game.' He continues: 'Tactically, game management - as a young player at times you can drift in and out of games but working with the gaffer I've gotten a lot better at that. Last year I was a bit naive but working with him now I've picked up good habits. 'He's let me play the game. I learn a lot from him. He was in sort of the same position and the knowledge he has of the game, what he passes down, is absolutely great for me.' At the beginning of December Orient were in 21st place and appeared more likely to face a relegation battle than a promotion push. Two Championship clubs, one of them Swansea, also made bids for Galbraith in January that were swiftly rejected. But Orient went on to win 20 of the 30 remaining games before seeing off Stockport in a semi-final shoot-out, with Galbraith scoring the final kick. He says the belief inside the squad that something special could happen never wavered. 'It comes from having a good group,' he adds. 'We've all said it, even when we were going through that rough stage we had the players and belief we could turn it around. I'm not too sure many others thought we could but inside the group we knew.'
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Revealed: The secrets of Leyton Orient's success ahead of Wembley showdown with Charlton - and the mantra drilled into them by manager Richie Wellens
Ethan Galbraith placed the ball on the spot. The former Manchester United man took a deep breath and puffed out his cheeks. The hearts of everyone inside Edgeley Park skipped a beat.
Daily Mirror
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Man Utd's 'best youngster' sends new team to Wembley after quitting Red Devils
Ethan Galbraith was once tipped for big things at Manchester United, with the Northern Irishman being hailed as the club's "best young player" outside the first team a few years back A former Manchester United prospect, once hailed as the club's "best young player", turned hero for Leyton Orient as they punched their ticket to Wembley. Ethan Galbraith, who spent six years in United's ranks, netted the match-winning penalty in a tense shootout win over Stockport County on Wednesday night. The victory secured Orient's spot in the League One Play-Off final, and leaves them within touching distance of a return to the second tier of English football for the first time in 43 years. Galbraith has been a key figure throughout their promotion charge, regularly featuring in the starting XI and chipping in with crucial goals – including a brace against Stockport earlier this season. His influence won't come as a shock to those familiar with United's youth system. The 24-year-old Northern Irishman had once been seen as a serious candidate to break into the Red Devils' senior squad. Having arrived from Linfield in 2017, it didn't take long for Galbraith to make an impression. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer gave him his first-team debut against Astana during the 2019/20 Europa League, having already been impressed with his performances for the U21s and in senior training sessions. A source told MEN in August 2020: "He's the best young player outside the core first-team group at the club." However, Galbraith struggled to consistently deliver at the top level. After a friendly against Aston Villa in September, Solskjaer was openly critical of his play, frustrated with how often he lost possession. "Galbraith... I spoke to him after the game and he knows a couple of times he gets caught on the ball but that's the learning he needs," the Norwegian coach said. "That's going to make him, next time he's on the pitch, be ready for it." The midfielder was then loaned to Doncaster Rovers in League One for the 2021/22 season, followed by a spell at Salford City in League Two. Though he impressed in both stints, he hadn't quite progressed at the speed United had envisioned. Galbraith's chapter at the club came to a close in 2023, with new United boss Erik ten Hag showing little interest in him. With his deal expiring and no offer to extend it, Galbraith accepted defeat and looked elsewhere. "After six years, my time has come to an end with this magnificent club, Manchester United," he wrote on social media at the time. "My earliest ambition as a boy was to become a professional footballer and I'm forever grateful to the club for giving me the opportunity and support to fulfil that dream. "It's been a privilege and I feel very honoured to have been able to represent the club. I step into the next chapter of my career a more mature, well rounded person and I'm excited for what's next." That next step was a gamble. Though there was interest from clubs like Newcastle, Stoke, and Derby, Galbraith chose to sign with newly promoted League One outfit Leyton Orient, seeking regular minutes on the pitch. He quickly adapted to life in east London, playing a major part in helping Orient to their best league finish in over ten years during his debut campaign. Year two has gone even better, with Richie Wellens' men launching a late-season surge to secure a surprise spot in the play-offs. In the return leg against Stockport, Galbraith didn't just convert the decisive penalty - he also set up Ollie O'Neill's opener, delivering a complete performance that saw him named Player of the Match. With a Wembley showdown on the horizon and the chance to earn promotion, Galbraith now has an opportunity to demonstrate - both to those watching and perhaps those back at Carrington - that he was right to back himself. If he leads Orient to victory, it may not only be a landmark moment for the club but also a personal comeback story for a footballer still striving for the heights he once seemed destined to reach.
