Simone Magill 'fell out of love with football' before Aston Villa move

Simone Magill has scored 21 goals in 70 caps since making her senior debut as a 15-year-old in 2010

"I went over to Everton at 18. It was all unknown. Ultimately, I had been at one club, one that I love to be fair, for such a long period of time.

"I really did need change and have a new challenge somewhere else because I really wanted to reignite a spark.

"I was at a point where I was like, 'I need change, because if I don't have change I feel like I just don't like this game anymore'. I was getting to that point."

2022 was set to be a defining year of Simone Magill's career.

The striker would lead the line for Northern Ireland at Euro 2022 after firing her country to a first women's major tournament.

Before the Euros, the 28-year-old had secured a move to Aston Villa from Everton, which had ended a nine-year stint on Merseyside.

It was all exciting, it was all fresh, it was all new.

However, in a cruel twist, Magill ruptured her ACL in Northern Ireland's opening game with Norway and her year was put on hold.

"This year was massive in terms of the Euros and everything," Magill told BBC Sport. "I'd been at Everton for years, and I don't know if I was just falling out of love with football, or what it was, and that is why I was so excited for a new chapter with Villa.

"After my operation I tried to take a moment to reflect. You ask yourself, 'why did it happen to me?'.

"I'm hoping that when I'm back playing there will be a moment where I'll go, 'that's why it had to happen'.

"It is going to be really special when I get back because this time will allow me to reflect and process how much the game means to me."

A knee injury ended Simone Magill's participation at the Euros after one game

Northern Ireland 'was my saving grace'

While she struggled with her club football, which she says "wasn't giving me anything back", Magill said Northern Ireland's success kept her passion for the sport burning.

"The one thing that kept reigniting the flame for me was Northern Ireland, because every time I would go there and we would be getting a result - it was just like, 'I love this game'.

"That kept me going when I was struggling mentally with where I was with the game, until I could get to the transfer window and get a move.

"Northern Ireland was my saving grace and it kept reminding me, 'no Simone, you were put on this earth for something', and I felt football was always that.

"You hear of so many professionals who have a moment in their career where they would question why they do it when it's not going the way they want.

"That was me for a section of last season and that's when I knew I really wanted a change.

"This period I am in now has made me appreciate the game so much more and there is a burning desire to go and attack next season, maybe even this season, who knows?".

'First person I met was Villa's physio'

While Magill said it was "hard to put a timescale" on her return, she is back running on grass just before Christmas and is aiming to get some minutes before the end of the season before going "full attack" on the 2023-24 campaign.

While she has yet to make her Villa debut, Magill says she is throwing herself into the club with community work, appearances and kit launches.

"I'm being positive about it. If you look at it any other way it would just break your heart," she added.

"I hadn't even met anyone at the club or anything, the first person I properly met was the physio in the surgeon's office.

"It was awful and you feel so guilty. Villa were brilliant from the night the injury. They were in touch with me and reassuring me. I really did need that.

"A million things were going through my mind when it happened. I haven't even been to this club and it was like, 'what on earth are they going to think?'."

Simone Magill joined Everton as an 18-year-old from Mid-Ulster in 2013 and became the first women's player from Northern Ireland to sign a professional WSL contract four years later

Magill added that watching Northern Ireland defeat Italy on Tuesday has given her extra motivation to return and she believes 2023 "can be the start of something special".

"I just want to play. There are times where I just absolutely want to smash a football, or go and let the ball hit the net, but I know I can't do that yet.

"For the first time in a long time I have a real, clear mindset in terms of where I want to go.

"I'm stronger than I've ever been, both physically and mentally. I'm hoping by the end of this I'm going to be a much better athlete and footballer than I've ever been."