LAURA Rafferty believes it was "written in the script" she would return to Saints at some point in her career, after completing her move back to her childhood club this week.

Northern Ireland international Rafferty has signed up for the 2021-22 campaign, in which Marieanne Spacey-Cale's women will compete in the National League Southern Premier Division, after their application for promotion was accepted.

Southampton-born Rafferty, 25, came through the academy at Saints, before moving to Chelsea in 2014 where she began to make her mark in the professional game.

Now with years of Women's Super League experience under her belt with the likes of the Blues, Bristol City and Brighton, as well as more than 20 international caps, Rafferty is back where it all began.

She told the Saints website: "I’m so excited to get going. I’m back at my home club and the strides that the club’s made since I’ve been away and the ones that they’re looking to continue to make is exciting for everyone around the club. I’m just happy to come back and be a part of it and hopefully really push that forward too."

Asked what it means to represent her hometown club, Rafferty added: "It’s everything. I had my whole childhood here.

"I was at the Southampton academy. Unfortunately out of my control I had to move on, there was no women’s team at the time.

"I always knew I would come back, it was just kind of written in the script.

"I’ve been through the highest of highs in football and the lowest of lows and coming back at this time, when I know the club are looking to really move forward, it’s the same ambition as what I have, it just fits very nicely.

"I’m just ready to embrace this new challenge and I’m excited for it."

And Rafferty explained how a close contact she retained within the club ever since leaving more than seven years ago.

"Martina Heath, who is the GM here, she had a massive part to play in my childhood football," explained the defender.

"I’ll be honest, without her playing that part, I don’t think I’d quite be sitting here playing football now.

"I had a couple of struggles when I was younger and she treated me like a person and listened to me and was just there.

"I’ve always kept in contact with Martina. I call her my second mum and to be back around these sorts of people, it will be the best feeling. I’m excited to be back.

"I know a couple of the girls, so I know there’s a great bunch there."