Manchester City players are now more inclined to go the to the pool than the pub after a match, according to Shaun Goater.

City were labelled 'the best pub side in England' by one newspaper last season after evidence surfaced of a drinking culture among the players.

They went on to be relegated from the Premier League and their manager Joe Royle was fired.

Kevin Keegan took over at Maine Road in the summer and since then, said Goater, the drinkers among his team-mates have given up the booze.

Goater was never one of the drinking crowd and he felt that the combination of the club's post-match swimming routine and the arrival of Keegan had effectively stamped out the alcohol problem.

"I think the swimming has helped to stop the idea of players going straight out for a drink after the match," the Bermudian striker told The Royal Gazette.

"Last year we had this thing where some people said we were a drinking club. But the swimming mellows you out. We do a couple of lengths and a bit of stretching in the pool. The last thing they want to do after that is leave there and go out for a drink.

"After home matches, we get something to eat and then go down to the local leisure centre pool, which is usually pretty empty because it's a Saturday evening.

"You get home before 9 p.m. and by that time you feel so relaxed. So far the lads who used to go out for a drink have not been going out."

Goater, who has scored six goals in the season's opening four games to help City to the top of the First Division, added that players seemed to pay more attention to Keegan's instructions than those of his predecessor.

"Keegan got control over the drinking problem straight away," said Goater. "The players involved seemed to respond to his discipline.

"Joe Royle was more relaxed. He did try to get the players to stop going out, but I think they had just lost a little respect for him for whatever reason."

Goater scored a hat-trick in City's 4-2 win at Burnley on Monday night to follow up his two goals in the 5-2 home win against Crewe on Saturday.

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