night signed for the English Second Division club.

Goater, Rotherham United's top scorer in the last two seasons, had been sought by Bristol City for the past few weeks.

Manager Joe Jordan was in constant contact with Goater's agent, Mark Georgevic, trying to work out a deal for the 26-year-old whose contract with Rotherham ended at the end of last season. Jordan also contacted Goater while he was back home in Bermuda.

Goater was originally due to return to England today to discuss the move further with Georgevic. But Goater instead departed Bermuda on the weekend and after talking to his agent travelled to Bristol with his wife Anita to meet with club officials.

Georgevic also joined him in Bristol yesterday and last night the deal was finalised, ending Goater's six-year stay in Yorkshire and bringing him to his third team since joing the English professional league in 1989.

The fee is understood to be less than the 300,000 Bradford City were prepared to pay for Goater last November. Goater turned down that move because he saw a switch to another club in the Second Division as a sideways move.

However, because he had been out of contract since the end of last season, Goater could have exercised his freedom of movement to a foreign club within the European Union without a fee being paid to Rotherham. Clubs in Spain and Denmark were interested.

Whatever they get from Bristol City for the sale of Goater will have to be split 50-50 with Manchester United, who made that agreement when they sold Goater to Rotherham in 1990.

At 26, Goater was anxious to move up to a higher division, but unfortunately no other concrete offer had come.

Two factors Goater took into consideration were the financial terms, which were much better than that offered by Rotherham, and the fact that the club is ambitious.

Goaters goals, combined with more signings, has the club confident of securing one of the promotion spots.

In the last two seasons Goater has been one of the top scorers in the Second Division, scoring a total of 49 goals during that period.

The highlight of his six years at Rotherham was helping the club win the Auto Windscreens Trophy in April at Wembley, the first piece of silverware in the club's 100-year history.

The current capacity of their all-seater stadium is 20,500 and they regularly attracted a crowd of about 10,000 last season.

Meanwhile, Bermuda' other England-based pro, Kyle Lightbourne, who was also out of contract when he returned for a summer break back in Bermuda, confirmed last night that he had signed a new one-year deal with Walsall last Friday.

Two other Second Division clubs, Notts County and Peterborough, had enquired about Lightbourne before he decided to accept Walsall's improved offer.

"I had said from the beginning that I would stay at Walsal if clubs from the same division were interested in me,'' said Lightbourne.

"With Martin and Scott going I guess they didn't want to lose me as well.'' Lightbourne reports back for pre-season training today.

Lightbourne has spoken to Goater about his transfer to Bristol City.

"He seems very happy about the situation,'' said Lightbourne ... "I feel happy for him as well, it's good to see one of us moving on.