Casey Howe completed a dream move to Nottingham Forest last Friday as she will now play football in the FA Women's National League North.

The Maguiresbridge native was a key figure for Athlone Town but has made the trip across the water to play for English side Forest who are joint-top of their league after the opening three games of the season.

“They had actually been interested since about January, so, I kind of knew of the interest, but I chose to go to Athlone at the time, they came back in for me then around the end of July, start of August,” Howe said on the move.

“At that stage then, they were full time and it was kind of a no-brainer when they were fully professional to go and make the move across.”

Howe, who turned 22 at the start of this week, has already made the move to Nottingham and began training with the team on Tuesday afternoon.

While Forest’s season has just begun, Athlone are heading towards the business end of their season with a game against Drogheda United coming up in the FAI Cup quarter-final, one that will be tough to miss admitted the forward: “Yeah look it was difficult, especially with Athlone, we were pushing for top spot in the league and the girls are now in the FAI Cup semi-final, so stuff like that it is difficult leaving them when they’re in such a good position.

"It was the right move for me in my career, I had to make it at the time. I hope the girls go on to win it, but it was definitely difficult to leave that.”

Howe will link up with fellow Northern Ireland international Caragh Hamilton as the pair also played at Glentoran together.

Howe has high dreams and says her family are delighted to see her succeeding: “They’re delighted, they’ve supported me since I was a kid and they’ve known this is what I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid, so, they’re delighted for me.

"I’m really looking forward to it and getting going, especially because I have been out now for the last three weeks with a concussion, so, it will be good to get back in and get training again.

"The stadium and training facilities are top-notch, I think that comes with the men’s team being in the Premier League, the facilities are unbelievable so, yeah it’s night and day compared to being back home.”