Shaun Goater caught the eye of Joe Royle shortly after the player arrived in England.

But it was not until 1998 that the straight-talking boss finally got the man he now calls “one of the best buys I’ve ever made”.

Goater moved across the Atlantic in 1989, joining Manchester United as a junior after being spotted on a pre-season tour of the Island.

He did not make any appearances for the Red Devils but in the same year his talent was spotted by Rotherham United, the Yorkshiremen acquiring the striker on a free transfer.

Goater stayed at Millmoor until 1996, although sandwiched in between was a loan move to Notts County, before being snapped up by Bristol City in August for ?175,000.

He enjoyed two successful years with the Robins before Royle and Manchester City acquired his services.

Royle, now manager of Ipswich Town, still speaks fondly of the Islander.

“I signed Shaun in 1998, having known about him since his early days at Rotherham,” Royle told . “I noted his improvement through to his goal scoring exploits at Bristol City.

“A friend of mine, Chris Garland, lived in Bristol and reported to me that Shaun was playing the best football of his career.

“We needed a goal scorer and because Shaun was out of contract in the summer we broke the deal at A?400,000.

“Shaun turned out to be one of the best buys I’ve ever made, he is a first class man of the human race to boot!

“I wish Shaun well with his new club and thank him for everything he did for me at Maine Road.”

Former strike partner Paul Dickov, now with Leicester City, also had praise for Goater.

“Shaun is a brilliant player and has always scored goals,” he told the . “I was there for six years and whenever a striker was brought in, Shaun would always see them off.”He has been a mainstay of the team and has had that special knack of being in the right place at the right time to get on the end of something. It didn’t matter how the ball went in, whether he shanked it or whatever; he would come up with the goods.”Willie Donachie (former City coach) would always tell the strikers to watch him in a game. He could be at the halfway line and play would have seemed to pass him by but then, all of a sudden, he would be in the six-yard box and the ball would be in the net.”With him on his way, that is another part of the side who won promotion twice in two years broken up. It is sad because we had fantastic spirit and ‘The Goat’ epitomised that.”City goalkeeper Nick Weaver expressed similar sentiments and, having fielded shots from him in training for the past five years, is just the man to comment on how much he has progressed.

“You could not wish to meet a nicer person and I mean that sincerely,” said Weaver.”When Shaun first came in and was struggling, no one would have been able to foresee what he would go on to achieve. He is a true legend. He will be missed in the dressing room by everyone.”He has a special knack of knowing when to arrive and can score goals in the most unorthodox fashion and with every part of his body.”

Weaver, though, pointed out that for all the Bermudian’s panache on the pitch, off the field is a completely different matter.

While he may have few peers in terms of goalscoring, dressing is a completely different matter.

“Goat wears the most awful clothes,” he said. “There is some really bad gear and his taste leaves a lot to be desired. You would expect him to be really cool, given how long he spends getting ready, but he’s not!”