Nice little article in FourFourTwo mag about fans singing songs for players. Typed this in by hand so apologies for any typos...
Shaun Goater
The Bermudan recounts how that memorable chant changed his life
Do you remember the first time Man City fans chanted your name?
It was one of the best moments of my career. I'd had a bit of a rough start at Maine Road. I was signed by Joe Royle to keep us in Division 1 towards the end of the 1997-98 season but we were relegated on the final day. I don't think the City fans rated me and my confidence was suffering. It got to the stage that when Joe read the team out I was willing him to drop me. Then I began to study a player the fans loved – Paul Dickov. He'd chase every ball so I thought 'That's what I've got to do'. It meant changing the way I played but after a few months, I was doing what Dicky had been doing and I could feel the fans beginning to warm to me. The first time they sang my name was when I'd been made captain for an away match at Grimsby. It was an honour to lead the lads out and I was popping up in both boxes to make sure that we didn't lose. Towards the end, the travelling City fans sang 'There's only one Shaun Goater!' and I knew I'd turned things around.
Do you remember the first time you heard Feed the Goat?
My first memory was during a 4-0 win over Kevin Keegan's Fulham. The lads came in at half-time and said, 'Did you hear that song Goat?' I hadn't, but I listened out for it and loved it – an original song in my honour and, even if I say so myself, one of the best I'd ever heard.
It became a phenomenon, didn't it?
That song changed my life. Everyone seemed to like it and there were no insulting versions from opposing fans. The newspapers ran stories and it became something of an English football catchphrase, especially when 'Soccer AM' invented a game called 'Feed the Goat' in my honour. It raised my profile and I'd be lying if I didn't say that I sang it under breath one or two times. I remember during training Joe Royle shouted to one of the lads, 'Feed the Goat!' Every time I heard it, it put a spring in my step and gave my confidence to try stuff I might no have done before because I knew the fans were all with me – I think that's why I scored so many goals for City.
Is it true other fans tried to imitate it?
I recall the Birmingham fans singing 'Feed the Horse' in honour of Geoff Horsefield. My lawyers also looked at copyright infringement.
And when you left City that song stayed with you...
If there's one moment that will stay with me forever, it's the final game of my career with Southend. We were playing against Bristol City, another of my former clubs, and about 400 Manchester City fans had travelled down to Roots Hall to bid me farewell. At one point, all three sets of fans were singing 'Feed the Goat'. I'm not sure who invented that song, but I owe that guy a pint.
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