Shawn Goater's Bristol City on a short tour, The Royal Gazette has learned.

The table-topping English Second Division club are seen as ideal replacements for Puerto Rico, who pulled out of a scheduled December visit to the Island.

But whether the Robbins come now will depend on their schedule. January has traditionally been a time of year when English clubs fly to Bermuda, especially those who have been knocked out of the FA Cup and have a free weekend.

"Clyde Best asked me and I told my gaffer (John Ward) that when Puerto Rico pulled out that the BFA were interested in us,'' said Goater yesterday.

"He (Ward) always says to me `When are the boys going over to Bermuda'? "But as it has happened we haven't had a long enough (break) period because they would want to come for six days. If we had about a ten-day break, we could be back in England for about three days before a game.'' It has been several seasons since an English team has visited Bermuda, but it was from such a visit by Manchester United in 1989 that Goater was spotted and eventually signed by the top English side.

A tour by either Bristol City or Kyle Lightbourne's Coventry -- who have been here before -- would be seen as a major drawing card. "I always thought it would be good to have something like that, even after the season for a tournament against the league champions and the national team,'' said Goater.

"I think something like that would really go down well and would have a big turnout. It would remind me of the night when I went out to BAA Field and watched Aston Villa play against Somerset.'' Villa produced a breathtaking display that night, thrashing Somerset 12-0.

Both Goater and Lightbourne are likely to be back in Bermuda colours in late April when Bermuda compete in the Shell Caribbean Cup qualifying round in Trinidad. Goater, though eager to represent his country again, admits much would depend on whether City have already clinched automatic promotion.

"I can't forsee that being a problem because if we continue playing as we are then at that stage of the season we should be promoted,'' said Goater.

"That stage of the season is normally a critical time. It's about Bristol City getting promoted and making sure we're in Division One.

"If we slipped up and had a really bad run of form then I would want to be involved to make sure we do get promoted.'' Having Goater and Lightbourne would boost Bermuda's chances in the Shell tournament which will Bermuda in Group Six along with Cuba, Turks and Caicos and the Cayman Islands.

"I understand what Clyde Best is doing,'' said the striker.

"His restructuring needs the professionals to be there to play a part and help kick-start things.

"It could be easy for me to say, `No I don't want to come home, I want to play here' but I realise it's not just for the national team but for football back home.''