GLENTORAN Women have announced the signing of highly rated midfielder Mia Moore, who returns to the BetMcLean Oval ahead of the 2025 season.
The 17-year-old Northern Ireland youth international becomes the Glens’ first signing of the new campaign, having agreed a deal that sees her rejoin the club where her football journey first began.
A creative and technically accomplished central midfielder, Moore has showcased her talent on the international stage from a young age having represented Northern Ireland at U15, U17 and U19 level and captaining her country at the Bob Docherty Tournament.
She made her first senior appearance for Glentoran at just 15 years old, before enjoying a standout spell at Linfield, where she scored 10 goals in her debut season.
Moore joined Crusaders Strikers ahead of the 2024 season, but her progress was cruelly interrupted by a long-term ACL injury that sidelined her for the entirety of the campaign.
Now fully recovered, Moore’s return represents a significant coup for Glentoran Women as they set their sights on reclaiming the Sports Direct Women’s Premiership title from reigning champions Cliftonville.
Speaking about her return to the club, Mia Moore said: “I’m absolutely buzzing to be back at Glentoran. This club has always felt like home to me. It’s where I fell in love with the playing football and to return means a lot to me and my family.
“The past year has been tough both mentally and physically, coming back from a serious injury, but it also gave me the chance to reset. I’ve worked incredibly hard during my rehab and I’m coming back hungrier than ever. I’m ready to hit the ground running.
“Working under Kim and the coaching staff in pre-season has already been brilliant. The environment is professional, the standards are high and there’s a real buzz around the group.
“Glentoran is a club with huge ambition and I want to use this opportunity as a platform to push on, make an impact and help bring even more success back to the club.”
Kim Turner, Glentoran Women’s First Team Manager, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to welcome Mia back to Glentoran. She’s a player we’ve admired for a long time not just for her ability, but for her leadership and the drive she brings to everything she does.
“We’ve wanted to bring Mia back for some time and from the first conversation it was clear she was just as passionate about wanting to Glentoran. Her attitude throughout her injury and rehab has been exceptional. She’s shown resilience, professionalism and a genuine hunger to come back stronger, which speaks volumes about her character.
“Mia fits perfectly into the culture we’re building here. She’s composed, intelligent on the ball and brings an edge in the final third. We’ve no doubt she’ll be a fantastic addition to the squad as we continue to push for silverware.”
Glentoran Women are set to kick off their 2025 campaign this Friday night in the newly revamped VBET Women’s League Cup against Larne Women at Inver Park.
The 2023 champions and 2024 runners-up will then begin their Sports Direct Women’s Premiership campaign with an away fixture against Lisburn Ladies at Bluebell Stadium on Friday, May 9.
