HEN Shaun Goater paused momentarily to perform a robot dance move as he made his grand entrance onto the field at the National Sports Centre last Friday night, it was clear that the Goat was in the mood for some fun.

His Bermuda and former Southend United team-mates, lined up opposite each other, laughed at the brief Peter Crouch impression as they joined the small crowd in applauding the veteran marksman as he arrived to bid farewell to the game he has graced for some 18 years.

Having been presented with a Bermuda jersey emblazoned with his name and a plaque citing official recognition of his services to football by Sports Minister Dale Butler, Goater took the microphone and made a short speech thanking everyone for their support.

It was a shame that about a third of the 1,500 or so who eventually turned up were not there by kick-off time ? as is the habit of many a Bermuda football fan ? and so did not witness a moving prelude.

However disappointing the turnout, those that did bother to pay tribute to the Goat saw a match that followed the script of a fitting farewell story.

Goater scored an unusual hat-trick, bagging one goal in the first half for Bermuda and two for his final club, Southend, in the second, before he came off the field to a standing ovation.

For a forward famed for untidy goals, scored via all parts of the anatomy and usually from close range, Friday's three efforts were all aesthetically pleasing.

His first came just before half-time when a deflected effort rolled his way and he drilled an unstoppable right-footed 20-yarder into the bottom left-hand corner to give Bermuda the lead.

After changing jerseys at half-time, he planted a fine header into the net to equalise for the Shrimpers and followed that with a snap-shot on the turn, which crashed against the underside of the bar and bounced high into the net.

Typically, nice guy Goater's only regret was that his two goals for Southend helped to consign Bermuda to a 3-2 defeat, when they came within three minutes of managing a highly creditable draw against a pro team from English football's second tier.

From many people's viewpoint, Goater's career has been all about goals, 221 of them in all four divisions of the English professional league, as well as 32 in 36 internationals for Bermuda.

Arguably even more notable than that is a less quantifiable legacy, that of a level of affection and respect, unusual in professional football, that he has evoked from fans and colleagues wherever he has played.

The genuine fondness with which he is regarded by the former Southend team-mates he helped win the League One title last season was evident, not only in the many hugs and handshakes that came Goater's way, but also in the fact that the club had travelled to Bermuda at all, at great expense, in honour of a player who had appeared in their colours just 34 times. The impression he made on the Essex club was summed up neatly by Southend manager Steve Tilson, who said Goater was "the nicest bloke I've met in football".

In a game increasingly characterised by bloated egos, greed and fleeting loyalties, Goater has stood out as an unpretentious, hard-working and honest performer, who has given all his clubs value for money.

While he may have lacked the fancy tricks and flamboyance of some players, Goater had few equals in football when it came to verbal self-expression.

Fans and the media are hungry for football stars who can offer some insight and wit when they describe the sporting life and who can go beyond parroting the clich?s. Goater is one of those rare people, a sports journalist's dream.

I can verify that from personal experience, having worked with him on his column in during his heyday at Manchester City. His ability to highlight the little details of the professional football world that he knew would fascinate readers ? amusing occurrences on the training ground, in-jokes among the players or the difficulties and frustrations a footballer suffers when sidelined through injury ? was remarkable.

He was, and still is, worshipped by City fans as one of the most popular players ever to wear the sky blue. His place in City folklore was cemented by his two goals against hated cross-town rivals Manchester United, in a 3-1 derby victory at Maine Road during his final season with the club.

The fans who hero-worshipped him were sad to see him go when he left at the age of 33 to seek more first-team football with Reading. The City manager was then Kevin Keegan and his comments at the time summed up how the club felt about the Goat.

"He is adored at this club and he will be a hard act to follow, that is for sure," Keegan said. "Shaun's biggest problem coming to this decision was that he never wants to upset anyone. The way he did it means he achieved that.

"I think Shaun Goater will end up coming back to this club one day, but I am not sure what he will do. He might be working with the youth or he might be manager but I think he will walk back in here one day and carry on that love affair with the fans. I hope so because they love him and I know the feeling is mutual."

Keegan's words are a fitting tribute to one of the gentleman of football.