Rickie Lambert

Football player infobox
playername = Rickie Lambert
fullname = Richard Lambert
height = 6 ft 2 in
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1982|2|16
cityofbirth = Fazakerley
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Bristol Rovers
youthyears =
youthclubs = Liverpool
clubnumber = 9
position = Forward
years = 1998–2000
2001–2002
2002–2005
2005–2006
2006–
clubs = Blackpool
Macclesfield Town
Stockport County
Rochdale
Bristol Rovers
caps(goals) = 03 0(0)
44 0(8)
98 (18)
64 (28)
91 (29)
pcupdate = 14:38, 28 September 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate =

Richard "Rickie" Lambert (born 16 February 1982 in the Fazakerley suburb of Liverpool, England) is an English football player who currently plays for Bristol Rovers. Lambert currently plays as striker, but can also play as an attacking midfielder.

Playing career

Lambert's career started at Blackpool, although he made little impact for the Seasiders, only making three substitute appearances. He then moved to Macclesfield Town on a free transfer. He made 44 league appearances there netting eight goals.

In June 2002, he was sold for a record fee of £300,000 to Stockport County. He made 98 appearances for County and scored 18 times. After falling out of the manager's plans, Lambert moved to Rochdale for an undisclosed fee in February 2005. [Cite news
title = Rochdale in double transfer swoop
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rochdale/4274207.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2005-02-17
accessdate = 2008-03-09]

Lambert made 64 appearances for the Dale scoring 28 goals before signing for Bristol Rovers on transfer-deadline day, August 31, 2006, for £200,000 on a three-year contract.

Despite a bad start that saw him goalless until November, he scored the only goal in the victory over local rivals Bristol City in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy southern area final second leg. The win gave Rovers a place in the final against Doncaster Rovers at the Millennium Stadium on April 1, 2007.

On April 28, 2007, Lambert scored a goal against Swindon Town which was voted goal of the season (2006/2007). His first effort away at Luton Town on September 8th 2007 was also voted goal of the season (2007/2008), and it is likely that his first goal against Hereford United will be a contender for goal of the season 2008/2009.He also scored a vital header against Hartlepool United on May 5, 2007, in the eighty-sixth minute. This header ultimately pushed Bristol Rovers into the 2007 Football League Two playoffs, which saw them gain promotion to Football League One at Wembley Stadium on 26 May, 2007. On February 16, 2008, Lambert scored a deflected free-kick from twenty-yards out against Southampton in the fifth-round of the FA Cup. It was the only goal of the game. This was on his 26th birthday. [Cite news
last = McNulty
first = Phil
title = Bristol Rovers 1-0 Southampton
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/7224057.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2008-02-16
accessdate = 2008-03-09]

Rickie Lambert signed a three-year contract in September 2008, to extend his stay with Rovers until the summer of 2011. The deal is thought to have made Lambert the highest paid player in the history of Bristol's oldest football club. Lambert already shown why the club were so keen to keep the centre-forward by scoring in 8 goals in 8 games at the start of the season, making him the top scorer in Coca Cola League One.

External links

* [http://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10328~10430,00.html Rickie Lambert player profile] at bristolrovers.co.uk
* [http://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10441~10430,00.html Rickie Lambert player profile] at rochdaleafc.co.uk
* [http://www.stockportcounty.com/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10419~10430,00.html Rickie Lambert player profile] at stockportcounty.com
* [http://www.4thegame.com/club/rochdale-fc/player-profile/28396/rickielambert.html Player profile] at 4thegame.com
*soccerbase|id=16995|name=Rickie Lambert

References