Feed The Goat And He Will Score! - GOATER BID ACCEPTED

After failing in a bid to sign Wimbledon striker David Connolly, Alan Pardew has seemingly pulled another ace from the pack as it has been announced that he has had a bid for Shaun Goater accepted.

The 33-year-old Manchester City player is currently in Denmark on a pre-season tour. With the Royals away in Sweden, any move will not be completed until next week at the earliest.

Goater announced last April that he was to leave City after five years with the club in order to seek regular first team football. Despite an expected flurry of suitors, Reading's bid for the Bermudan was the first one the Manchester side had received.

Indeed, it had been thought that the former Rotherham man might start the new season at the new City of Manchester Stadium as no one seemed to be tempted by the want-away striker.

City boss Kevin Keegan last night revealed that he had accepted an offer from Reading.

"We have accepted an offer from Reading and we have given Shaun permission to talk to them," said Keegan.

"Shaun has the opportunity to move so it is up to him now. We have given Shaun permission to talk to them and Reading to talk to him. The ball is in his court and he does not have to go.

"I think he wants to talk to them but he won't do that until he gets back," added the former England boss.

The striker himself though was remaining philosophical, revealing he has decided nothing as yet.

Goater said: "I have not thought about the offer. I am in Denmark to play football, that's what I am focussed on at the moment."

Goater would be a fantastic aqcuisition for Reading Football Club. The powerful centre-forward is proven quality at Division One level. Indeed, he netted an impressive thirty-two goals as City returned to the Premiership two years ago.

Despite 'the Goat's' advancing years, if the deal was completed it would be a clear signal of the club's intent to challenge for automatic promotion this season.

Even if the deal goes through, Pardew will hope to make at least one further signing, probably a centre back, before the new campaign kicks-off on August 9th.

Reading MAD first explored the possibility of Goater joining Reading over a month ago in one of our ever-popular 'Pardew's Piggy' articles. You can read that story here.