It's been a long time coming but last night it finally happened.

Bermudian international Shaun Goater made his bow on the Premiership stage when his side Manchester City took on Southampton at the Dell.

Goater, injured since the start of the season, was named as a substitute for the Blues but came on after 68 minutes to replace Costa Rican Paulo Wanchope with City leading 1-0.

The match, which finished 2-0, was a vital one for Joe Royle's side against a team struggling in the lower reaches of the English top flight.

Scottish international Paul Dickov and Wanchope had led the line for most of the game -- Dickov having scored in the 38th minute.

But with Wanchope looking ineffective, Royle decided to give Goater his chance much to the delight of the travelling City faithful who roared the now famous chant `Feed the goat and he will score'.

To be fair he didn't see much of the ball, with City trying to preserve their lead, but he did set up Alf Inge Haaland for a shot on the edge of the Saints box with a neat lay-off and then minutes later a precise flicked header set the same player clear only for Paul Jones in the Southampton goal to make the save.

The match was shown live in pub TVs throughout the Island and no doubt the decibels were raised as Goater made his long awaited transition from North Village player, to plugging away in the lower reaches of the English game to a starring role on the big stage.

Former national coach, Mark Trott, whose speculative letter to Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson started the ball rolling all those years ago, said he had no doubt Goater would make it.

"It's been a long road but I never doubted he had the ability to play in that division,'' he said. "I'm just hoping he can reproduce the goalscoring form.

"Give him some time and if he can get in the groove I think his natural goalscoring instincts will take over.'' Goater becomes the fourth Bermudian to play in the top flight after Arnold Woollard, Clyde Best and Kyle Lightbourne.

Asked whether it was harder these days, Trott said: "Clyde would probably say it's a lot more difficult because there are lot more players from Europe playing in that division which makes it a lot more competitive, so he won't have it all his own way.'' But Trott said he was backing Goater all the way for several reasons.

"I'm hoping he does well because it's good for Shaun Goater, and it proves he deserves to be there and it also proves that hard work pays off and finally it may open the way for a few more promising Bermudian players in the long-term.'' Shaun Goater: made his long-awaited English Premier League debut yesterday when he came on as a second half substitute in Manchester City's 2-0 win at Southampton.

Shaun Goater: made his long-awaited English Premier League debut yesterday when he came on as a second half substitute in Manchester City's 2-0 win at Southampton.