Shaun Goater will be looking for more than just an emotional night when his Reading side take on former club Manchester City tonight.

The pre-season friendly, Reading's last before the season kicks off for real against Brighton on Saturday, is being staged as part of a contractual deal from when the Bermudian left Maine Road and will serve as a fund-raiser for Goater's Grassroots Soccer Festival.

But for the big striker, the game also offers an invaluable opportunity to kick-start his pre-season.

Goater, who missed the second leg of the El Salvador World Cup qualifying game with a calf injury, missed out on the first week of training with his Royals' team-mates as he continued to receive treatment.

Since then, although he has bagged two goals so far in pre-season, Goater has not played more than 45 minutes for Steve Coppell's men in any of their four games.

Goater struck in the 78th minute of a 6-0 victory against part-timers Bath and also hit the net during a 6-0 victory on a mini-tour to Sweden but only managed 15 minutes in a 1-0 defeat against lower division Brentford.

"I am having no problems at all with the calf injury ? I don't even think about it," said Goater, who finished top scorer last season with 13 goals, despite only starting 27 games.

"That is very pleasing for me because it was a frustrating injury and it cost me a chance to help the lads in the second leg against El Salvador.

"But I am not quite there yet in terms of my fitness. That can only come with playing full matches and I haven't been given more than 45 minutes yet in pre-season.

"It will come in time but for now I just have to make the most of the time I do get."

Goater, if only for sentimental reasons, would be odds-on to start tonight's game against City, for which around 3,000 Blues fans are expected to make the journey to the Madejski Stadium to watch their former hero.

The 6ft 1in frontman became a fans' favourite at Maine Road, constantly topping the scoring charts and achieving legendary status after the expression 'Feed the Goat' was coined.

His uncanny knack of regularly scoring often ugly but important goals ? particularly against rivals Manchester United ? elevated him to a status few players in recent times have achieved in the new world of quick transfers and short stints with one club.

"I am looking forward to facing a few of the old faces," said Goater, who had a stop-start first campaign with Reading last season after leaving City for $500,000.

"Although there are only about three guys left from the the side I played in, the fans are going to make sure it is emotional for me. But I have to forget about that and treat it as a last run-out before the season gets going.

"It's an important game as it offers the gaffer one last look at the players before the Brighton game. I think he has probably already got his team in his head for that one and he will be looking for us to go out there and impress."

Manchester City are foregoing any proceeds from the game, leaving Reading and Goaters' Festival ? staged on the Island every summer ? to share the profits from the match.

Goater added he was a "little disappointed" that the game was not being televised either in England or on the Island but was "delighted to be able to raise some money to help put something back into football in Bermuda".