IT began with goals at Bernard Park, it will end with Gombeys in Essex, England. Shaun Goater finally signs off on his long career tomorrow. As marvellous a day as it will be at Roots Hall as the already-promoted Southend take on the Bermudian's former club Bristol City, there will be a tear shed by many as one of the most popular players in the modern game finally bows out.

His agent Mark Georgevic, whose relationship with Goater began by helping to get Rotherham games screened here, will cry, a good majority of the 400 or so Manchester City fans who are turning up for the match will probably wail a little and then there is a chance even the big man himself might show some emotion on the pitch.

The fact that the League One trophy is on the line makes the day even more perfect for Goater, who, by virtue of his enormously high profile, has inadvertently turned the day into a bit of Bermuda funfare. On top of the travelling City fans, the visit of a horde of Bermudians (including best mate and former pro Kyle Lightbourne, national assistant coach Paul Scope and international team-mate Dwayne (Streaker) Adams) and the Gombeys, the club are doing their bit to honour a man who pitched up, scored 11 goals and has helped the Shrimpers to a remarkable second consecutive promotion.

The Southend marketing department have come up with the great idea of holding a Blues Bermuda Bonanza Day, which will include a rare off-island performance from the Gombeys as well as the chance for Southend fans to attempt to win a 'best Bermuda shorts' contest which is bound to see all sorts of bad, and probably downright inaccurate, attempts at donning the famous outfit.

The perfect result would be a Southend win accompanied by a Goater goal ? he hasn't scored since March ? and ideally a typical Goater goal, a far post header, a deflected flick off the knee, a rebound tap-in or a goalmouth scramble ending with Goater getting his thigh, chest, back or even backside to the ball before anyone else.

It would be a fitting end to career for a player who was never rated that highly on the skill front ? something those who saw him as a teenager scoring at will for North Village will always find strange ? but was a goalgetter supreme.

If scoring goals is the currency of a striker, then Shaun Goater will be able to outbid Oprah for Goldeneye ten times over once he settles back in Bermuda this summer.

Clyde Best may have blazed a trail for Goater to follow, but Goater ? playing in a satellite TV age ? has done much to put the island on the map with his goals, the 'Feed the Goat' chant that has followed him around the UK and his off-the-field persona as a genuine nice guy.

He's a man who signs every autograph, who never fails to applaud travelling fans after every game and a gifted striker who plays with a smile on his face, particularly after another one of his efforts finds the back of the net ? or at least the other side of the goal line.

The big question now for Bermuda football, is who will be the next Shaun Goater? Khano Smith is doing his best over in Major League Soccer stateside, Damon Ming is playing his heart out in the semi-pro game but there seems to be no obvious heir to Goater's throne.

One thing you can be sure of, however, is that once Goater is back home, he will be doing everything he can to help find the next Premiership striker from Bermuda to embarrass Manchester United on home turf.