Aston Villa Women: Mary McAteer completes transfer to Coventry United on permanent basis
Mary McAteer has left Aston Villa women and joined Championship side Coventry United on a permanent basis, as revealed by the club.
The Welsh Under-19 attacker has been playing for the Warwickshire outfit on a dual-registration basis this season, but the club have now brokered a deal to secure the player’s services permanently.
McAteer is currently the club’s leading goalscorer since joining in September 2022, netting six times in 12 appearances.
After rising through the ranks at Aston Villa, she made her senior debut for Carla Ward’s side in the 2-1 defeat to Sheffield United in the Conti Cup and was named on the bench for the Villans’ 4-3 victory over Manchester City on the opening day of the season.
The club wrote on their website (Monday 30 January): “Coventry United have moved quickly to sign 19-year-old Mary McAteer on her first professional contract, after previously signing on a dual-registration deal with WSL neighbours, Aston Villa.”
Smart business
Although McAteer has been lighting up the Championship so far this season, a move away was ultimately best for all parties involved.
The move to Coventry United allows the 19-year-old to take the next steps in here career and forge a path away from the West Midlands.
With Rachel Daly, Emily Gielnik, Alisha Lehmann and Kirsty Hanson all within Ward’s ranks at the moment, it was always going to be a tough challenge to force her way into the first-team.
Despite never quite making the grade at Villa, it is another indicator of the brilliant work the academy is doing and some of the bright talent that can graduate from its ranks.
With McAteer, Laura Blindkilde Brown and Olivia McLoughlin all rising through the academy in the past 18 months, the club’s consistent investment at grassroots level is finally starting to reap its rewards.
In other Aston Villa news, Carla Ward must find a contingency plan in case Rachel Daly gets injured for her side this season.