History-maker Kerry Beattie relishing next step in career

The talented teenager's move is the first professional player transfer involving a Northern Irish club and the first in which a local club has received a transfer fee.

The striker helped the Glens win the Danske Bank Women’s Premiership last season ending the season as the league's top goal scorer finding the net on 23 occasions.

Beattie, who has been capped six times for the Northern Ireland senior side, also netted her first international goal against North Macedonia in a 9-0 win for Kenny Shiels side at Seaview.

So it came as no surprise that she was attracting the attention of cross-channel clubs.

She has penned a three-and-a-half year deal with the reigning Scottish champions and is relishing the next step on her footballing journey.

“I feel absolutely delighted to be joining a team as prestigious as Glasgow City, " Beattie told the club’s website.

"I am looking forward to this next chapter in my life and the opportunity to develop my game further greatly excites me. I can’t wait to meet the team and get to work.”

Beattie joined Glentoran six years ago as a 13-year-old, made her breakthrough as a regular in the 2019 season.

Club chairman Stephen Henderson welcomed the deal and highlighted the pathway for the next 'Kerry Beattie' to follow.

“This is another historic day for Glentoran FC and women’s football in Northern Ireland.

"Following on from the announcement yesterday of our captain, Jess Foy becoming the first professional female player based in Northern Ireland, we have moved quickly to professionalise our squad.

"This was designed to reward those players for their commitment and talent, but also to protect the club’s investment in their development.

"It is a testament to the progress we have made, that we are the single largest contributing club to the International team’s success, but with that success comes interest from full time professional clubs.

"Before professionalisation, we risked losing these players for no return on our investment. Today, we are proud to be trailblazers again, having signed Kerry Beattie on a professional contract, we have now become the first Northern Irish club to ever receive a transfer fee for a female player.

"Kerry’s transfer on a full-time contract with Glasgow City FC, thereby moving from Northern Ireland’s most successful club to Scotland’s most successful club, clearly demonstrates a pathway for all our aspiring young talent.

"This pathway is open to all. We will never stand in the way of talent reaching the highest level it possibly can, but now the club and our coaches will receive the recognition our efforts deserve and allow us to invest in developing the next Kerry Beattie.

"The best wishes of the entire club go with Kerry as she embarks on this exciting new chapter in her footballing career, and we will look on with significant interest at the progress she makes.”