Shaun Goater facts for kids
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Goater in 2015
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 25 February 1970 | ||
| Place of birth | Hamilton, Bermuda | ||
| Height | 1.82 m | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1978–1985 | North Village | ||
| 1985–1986 | Boulevard | ||
| 1986–1987 | North Village | ||
| 1988–1989 | Manchester United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1989 | Manchester United | 0 | (0) |
| 1989–1996 | Rotherham United | 209 | (70) |
| 1993 | → Notts County (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 1996–1998 | Bristol City | 75 | (40) |
| 1998–2003 | Manchester City | 184 | (84) |
| 2003–2005 | Reading | 43 | (12) |
| 2005 | → Coventry City (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2005–2006 | Southend United | 34 | (11) |
| 2007–2008 | Bermuda Hogges | 9 | (3) |
| 2008–2010 | North Village Rams | 7 | (1) |
| Total | 567 | (221) | |
| National team | |||
| 1987–2004 | Bermuda | 22 | (20) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2008–2013 | North Village Rams | ||
| 2017 | Ilkeston | ||
| 2024–2025 | Aston Villa Women (caretaker) | ||
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Leonard Shaun Goater (born 25 February 1970) is a former professional footballer from Bermuda. He played as a striker for many English clubs in the 1990s and 2000s. Shaun is best known for his time at Manchester City, where he scored over 100 goals. He also played for the Bermuda national team. After retiring as a player, he became a coach and is currently part of the coaching staff at Aston Villa W.F.C..
Contents
Shaun Goater's Early Life
Shaun Goater was born in Hamilton, Bermuda. He lived with his mother, grandmother, and two aunts. His first experience with English football came in 1987. He joined a school football tour and played against English high school teams.
When he was 17, Shaun moved to the United States for a soccer scholarship. While visiting Bermuda, scouts from Manchester United saw him play. They invited him to England for a trial. Shaun's mother, who also played football, encouraged him to go. He accepted the offer, even though it meant giving up his scholarship. At this time, Shaun played as a creative midfielder, not a striker.
Shaun Goater's Club Career
Starting His Football Journey
Shaun's trial with Manchester United led to a professional contract. However, he did not play for their main team. In 1989, Shaun joined Rotherham United to get more playing time. He found it hard to get used to England at first. He said it took him "a good two years" to feel comfortable.
Over seven seasons at Rotherham, Shaun became known as a reliable striker. He scored 86 goals in 262 games. A big moment was winning the Football League Trophy in 1996. In 1992, he scored the only goal in a League Cup game against Everton, helping Rotherham win 1–0 in the first leg. He also had a short loan spell at Notts County in 1993.
Towards the end of the 1995–96 season, Shaun decided to leave Rotherham. He had offers from clubs in Spain and South Korea. But since he had recently gotten married, he chose to stay in England.
Playing for Bristol City
Shaun then moved to Bristol City for £175,000. He scored in his first game, but Bristol City lost 3–2. In his second season, he scored many goals and was named in the PFA Team of the Year. In less than two years, he scored 45 goals in 81 games for Bristol City.
On 26 March 1998, Shaun signed with Manchester City. They paid Bristol City £400,000 for him.
Becoming a Manchester City Legend
Shaun joined Manchester City when the club was struggling. They were trying to avoid being relegated to a lower league. Shaun scored three goals in his first seven games, but it wasn't enough. Manchester City was relegated to the third tier of English football for the first time ever.
At first, some fans weren't sure about Shaun. But as he scored more goals, they started to love him. They even made a song for him: "Feed The Goat And He Will Score."
Promotions and Top Scorer Awards
In the 1998–99 season, Shaun scored 21 goals. He was Manchester City's top goalscorer. His last goal that season helped Manchester City reach the play-off final. They won after a penalty shootout and were promoted!
The 1999–2000 season was even better. Shaun was the top scorer again with 29 goals. Fans voted him Manchester City's Player of the Year. Manchester City was promoted for the second year in a row. That summer, Shaun was honored in Bermuda. June 21st was even named "Shaun Goater Day" on the island!
The next season, Shaun played in the top league for the first time at age 30. He was Manchester City's top scorer for the third year in a row with 11 goals. However, the team was relegated again.
Breaking Records at City
In the 2001–02 season, Shaun made history. He became the first Manchester City player since 1972 to score more than 30 goals in one season. Manchester City won the league and were promoted as champions. Shaun was the club's top scorer for the fourth time in a row. He was also the top scorer in the entire division.
Even with new strikers joining the team, Shaun stayed at Manchester City. He scored his 100th goal for the club in a big game against local rivals Manchester United. In February 2003, he scored the fastest goal by a substitute in Premier League history against the same team. It took him just 9 seconds after coming onto the field!
Shaun decided to leave Manchester City at the end of the 2002–03 season. He wanted to play more regularly. In his last game for the club, he was asked to be the captain. Overall, Shaun scored 103 goals in 212 games for Manchester City.
Later Career and Retirement
On 1 August 2003, Shaun moved to Reading. The club's chairman called it "the biggest transfer in Reading Football Club's history." However, his time there was not as happy. The manager who signed him left, and the new manager didn't play him much.
Shaun then went on loan to Coventry City. He thought about retiring, but instead joined Southend United for his final season as a professional. At Southend, he helped younger players and scored 11 goals. His last game was on 6 May 2006, against his old club Bristol City. About 400 Manchester City fans traveled to watch his final game.
After retiring, Shaun became involved in business in Bermuda. He also appeared on local media in Manchester, sharing his football insights.
Shaun Goater's International Career
Shaun also played for the Bermuda national team. He made his first international appearance at age 17 against Canada. He played 22 times and scored 20 goals. Some records show he played 36 games and scored 32 goals.
When playing for Bermuda, Shaun was often the only professional player on the team. This meant he was much more skilled than his teammates. He sometimes found it hard to keep his professional fitness level while with the national team. His last game for Bermuda was in June 2004 against El Salvador.
International goals
- Scores and results list Bermuda's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Bermuda goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 April 1989 | Bermuda National Stadium, Hamilton, Bermuda |  Barbados |
2–1 | 2–1 | Daily Nation Trophy | |
| 2 | 13 May 1990 | Mindoo Phillip Park, Castries, Saint Lucia |  Saint Lucia |
1–0 | 2–0 | 1990 Caribbean Cup qualification | |
| 3 | 2–0 | ||||||
| 4 | 26 May 1990 | Bermuda National Stadium, Hamilton, Bermuda | Barbados |
1–1 | 1–1 | ||
| 5 | 29 May 1990 | Bermuda National Stadium, Hamilton, Bermuda | Barbados |
1–0 | 3–0 | ||
| 6 | 2–0 | ||||||
| 7 | 3–0 | ||||||
| 8 | 4 February 1992 | Bermuda National Stadium, Hamilton, Bermuda |  Norway |
1–3 | 1–3 | Friendly | |
| 9 | 26 April 1992 | Bermuda National Stadium, Hamilton, Bermuda |  Haiti |
1–0 | 1–0 | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 10 | 25 May 1992 | Stade Sylvio Cator, Port-au-Prince, Haiti | Haiti |
1–0 | 1–2 | ||
| 11 | 4 July 1992 | Bermuda National Stadium, Hamilton, Bermuda |  Antigua and Barbuda |
1–1 | 2–1 | ||
| 12 | 2–1 | ||||||
| 13 | 1 November 1992 | Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador |  El Salvador |
1–4 | 1–4 | ||
| 14 | 8 November 1992 | Independence Park, Kingston, Jamaica |  Jamaica |
2–2 | 2–3 | ||
| 15 | 15 November 1992 | Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada |  Canada |
1–3 | 2–4 | ||
| 16 | 5 March 2000 | Sherly Ground, Road Town, British Virgin Islands |  British Virgin Islands |
3–0 | 5–1 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 17 | 4–0 | ||||||
| 18 | 5–1 | ||||||
| 19 | 31 March 2004 | Bermuda National Stadium, Hamilton, Bermuda |  Nicaragua |
1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly | |
| 20 | 2–0 |
Shaun Goater's Coaching Career
After retiring as a player, Shaun returned to Bermuda. He wanted to become a coach and studied for his coaching license. Since 2003, he has organized the Shaun Goater Grass-roots Soccer Festival. This is a football coaching event for children in Bermuda.
In 2006, Shaun helped start a professional football team in Bermuda called the Bermuda Hogges. He was both a director and a player for the team. In 2008, he left the Hogges to focus on youth coaching. He became the head coach of North Village Rams in his hometown. He coached the Rams from 2008 to 2013, winning seven trophies.
Shaun later worked as an assistant manager for New Mills in 2015. In 2017, he became the manager of Ilkeston. In 2019, he joined Macclesfield Town to coach their under-18s team.
In 2021, Shaun returned to Manchester City. He joined their Academy coaching staff. This was part of a program to help more Black, Asian, and mixed heritage coaches work in professional football. In 2023, he became an assistant manager for Manchester City W.F.C., the women's team.
In August 2024, Shaun moved to Aston Villa W.F.C. as Assistant Head Coach. In December 2024, he became the caretaker manager for Aston Villa Women. He led the team to a 4–1 victory in his first game. In January 2025, a new manager was hired, and Shaun returned to his assistant role.
Shaun Goater's Personal Life
Shaun Goater is married to Anita, his childhood sweetheart. They have two daughters, Amaya and Anais. In 2003, he received an award called the MBE for his services to sport and young people in Bermuda. His autobiography, Feed the Goat: The Shaun Goater Story, was published in 2006.
Honours
Player
Rotherham United
- Football League Trophy: 1995–96
Manchester City
- Football League First Division: 2001–02
- Football League Second Division play-offs: 1999
Southend United
- Football League One: 2005–06
Individual
- Football League First Division top scorer: 2001–02
- PFA Team of the Year: 1997–98, 2001–02
- Manchester City Player of the Season: 1999–2000
- Member of the British Empire: 2003
Manager
North Village Rams
- Bermudian Premier Division: 2010–11
- Charity Shield (Super Cup): 2010–11
- Dudley Eve Trophy: 2009–10, 2010–11
- Friendship Trophy: 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12
See also
In Spanish: Shaun Goater para niños
