Born on 23 July 1999 in Walkden, England, John McAtee began his football journey in the academy system at Shrewsbury Town, making his EFL debut as a late substitute on the final day of the 2016–17 season. After a series of loan spells at non-league clubs including AFC Telford United and Curzon Ashton, he moved permanently to Scunthorpe United in 2019 before joining Grimsby Town in the summer of 2021.
McAtee's defining moment came in the 2022 National League play-offs, where he scored in both the semi-final victory over Wrexham and the opening goal of the 2–1 final win over Solihull Moors, sending Grimsby back into the Football League. That season earned him both the Grimsby Town Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards.
A direct, energetic striker with a knack for important goals in big moments, McAtee signed for EFL Championship side Luton Town in August 2022. He spent the 2022–23 season back on loan at Grimsby before returning to Luton, where he was named among the substitutes for their first Premier League fixture in 2023. A loan spell at Barnsley in League One followed in the 2023–24 season.
In August 2024, McAtee signed a three-year deal with Bolton Wanderers for an undisclosed fee, with the League One club representing his opportunity to establish himself as a regular starter at a higher level of the English football pyramid.