Legendary striker who was the Club's top scorer in his first full season as a Royal, netting 14 goals in 2003/4.

Alan Pardew paid an undisclosed fee, believed to be around £500,000, to bring the Bermudan international to Madejski Stadium on a three-year deal from Manchester City, and The Goat thereby ended an association with City that made him one of their most popular players of all time.

He was described by Chairman John Madejski as one of the Club's biggest ever signings when he joined the Royals, and he was awarded the honorary MBE in 2003 for charity work he does back home. Shaun Goater Day is a national holiday every June in his native country.

He started his career in English football with City's bitter rivals Manchester United, but never played a game for the Red Devils.

In the early part of the 1989/90 season he made a free transfer switch to Rotherham United, and he scored 86 goals for the Millmoor club. He played one game on loan for Notts County in 1993.

In the summer of 1996 Bristol City came in with a bid of £175,000 to take him south to Ashton Gate, and he scored 45 goals in less than two full seasons.

His love affair with Manchester City began in March 1998 when the Maine Road club paid £400,000 for him, and he scored three goals in seven games as they were relegated down to Division Two.

The next season he scored 21 goals to help them secure promotion at the first attempt, and he netted an incredible 29 times in the following campaign as they were promoted again. He then bagged 11 goals in the 2000/1 Premiership season.

His best-ever season with City came in 2001/2 Division One as he scored an amazing 32 goals including two hat-tricks.

With City back in the Premiership, The Goat bagged seven goals including three against his former club Manchester United. Fittingly, his last game for them was also the last game at Maine Road, a 1-0 home loss to Southampton in May 2003.

With a year left on his City contract he was told he could leave the club as new signings Nicolas Anelka and Robbie Fowler bedded in, and Pardew fought off plenty off other interest to secure his signature.

He immediately struck up a good partnership with Nicky Forster, and scored six goals in his first six games for the Royals. After knee operation and a barren spell by his own high standards, he enjoyed a good second half to the season, scoring nine times in 19 games. Along the way he netted his 200th career League goal, and skipper Adie Williams paid homage with a special t-shirt tribute. Ipswich made an unsuccessful bid to sign him on loan in January 2004.

After reaching 49 appearances, the Royals were reluctant to play him and pay another £50,000 for his 50th game, and he joined Coventry on loan on deadline day 2005.

He was awarded the honorary MBE during the 2003/4 campaign for the great work he does with children at home in Bermuda. The Royals' pre-season friendly with Manchester City in August 2004 helped benefit his foundation.

2004/5 season
Scored his first of the season away to Oxford in the Carling Cup and was unlucky to pick up a calf injury in only his second League start at home to Leeds, keeping him out for a month. After reaching 49 appearances for the Club in December he has not been selected by boss Steve Coppell, and his 50th game would trigger a £50,000 payment to Man City. Joined Coventry on loan on deadline day. Returned to the club at th end of the season.

Last updated 20.05.05

Related links

Click here for his PC wallpaper

23.03.05 Goat joins Coventry
23.03.05 Goater not retiring
28.01.05 The Goat not keen on loan
12.12.04 Goat can be loaned out
24.11.04 Goat's comeback
19.11.04 Goat set for Bermuda
21.10.04 Calf injury forces Goat out
28.08.04 Pleased with Oxford show
14.06.04 Bermuda hotel mix-up
31.01.04 200-up Goater
21.01.04 Ipswich want Goat
02.12.03 Goater's knee op
06.08.03 Goat's secret Man U past
06.08.03 His medical
05.08.03 Bermuda go crazy
01.08.03 Why I joined Reading
01.08.03 JM: 'One of our top signings'
01.08.03 Goater signs for Royals
24.07.03 Dillon on Goat deal