Having been taken off just before the half-hour mark, Shaun Goater, like quite a few of his aging team-mates and opposition, didn't even bother keeping his kit on for the second half, despite the option of rolling subs.

It was a good ten minutes into the second stanza before the Goat popped out to see if his team had fought back from behind - by which time it was 2-1 to the visitors.

"I missed my headed chance, and I missed our two goals - that makes three I have missed today," said the smiling Goat, who had been showering and "freshening up" while his team took a 2-1 lead thanks to Lorenzo Amaroso and Ian Rush..

"I'm very pleased to be out here today, I have been here a few times to watch matches, but it was great to get out on the pitch and play with a lot of legends."

Typical of the man, he was quick to praise the Professional Footballers' Association for organising the match and for raising money for a local children's hospital and also was full of praise for the City fans.

With the interview over, the TV commentators gushed, as they so often did during his career, about what a gentleman Goater was, and how he was such a good ambassador for the game.

And, as they have done so many times during his careeer, they once again made reference to the popular footballing urban myth that there is a 'Shaun Goater Day' public holiday in Bermuda.

The "Feed the Goat" chants only started up when he left the field, but from the handshakes and the smiles and the warm applause, it was clear that Goater is a man who will never be forgotten in Manchester or in English football.