Former Southampton striker and club legend in the more modern days of football, Rickie Lambert, saw his career honoured by the EFL at Sunday’s 2018 EFL Awards ceremony.
The prestigious Sir Tom Finney Award, now.
It goes to a model professional. It goes to a striker who has scored in every division of professional football during a phenomenal 18-year career.
It goes to Rickie Lambert! >> https://t.co/xFvRAI37z9 #EFLAwards pic.twitter.com/xYKGE7bNR5
— EFL (@EFL) April 15, 2018
At the ceremony at the London Hilton on Sunday evening, Lambert was presented with the Sir Tom Finney Award for his goalscoring exploits at a number of clubs, and Southampton was one of a number of homes for the one time England regular.
The Award is presented to a player with a stand out career across the Football League and having represented nine clubs across his time in the game, taking in over 600 games with a return of more than 215 goals, Lambert is a worthy winner this season.
Signed for the princely sum of Ā£1million back in August 2009, Lambert took in well over 200 games for us as we rose back through the divisions and he departed with 117 goals to his name in our shirt.
I’d say his time with us was clearly his most successful on the pitch, but it wasn’t his only success as he forged his career and ultimately gained England recognition.
š@BlackpoolFC @thesilkmen @StockportCounty @officiallydale @Official_BRFC @SouthamptonFC @LFC @WBA @CardiffCityFC @England
ā½ļøRickie Lambert… winner of the 2018 Sir Tom Finney Award! >> https://t.co/xFvRAI37z9 #EFLAwards pic.twitter.com/Ij8jyEexLc
— EFL (@EFL) April 15, 2018
Having scored in every division in the professional pyramid, he won three promotions and a number of individual awards in his 18 year career and quoted by the efl.com as he spoke at the event to receive the award, he explained.
“Iām very proud and honoured to be associated with Sir Tom Finney and the career he had. Just listening to John Motson earlier about how Bill Shankly thought about him makes me so proud to achieve this tonight. At one point earlier in my career it got to the point where I was struggling for a contract, for a wage. It made me stronger as a person and looking back it was those setbacks that helped me progress eventually ā It is still all a bit surreal to be winning this award.”
Quite a trip down memory lane on Twitter following the announcement and there’s a number who’d welcome him back now, let alone in his prime!
Rickie Lambert Southampton's goal machine
— Baz Queen (@BaileyQueen7) April 15, 2018
https://twitter.com/foreversaint_/status/985629765959802880
— Jake Wilson #JW74 (@Jake_Wilson98) April 15, 2018
What a man. The great times he was part of at #saintsfc already seem so far away. How quickly things can change in football…. @SouthamptonFC
— Stuart Watkins (@stuwatkins2010) April 16, 2018
Well done Ricky. From all of us saints fans.
— Nick Graham (@nicksfc73) April 16, 2018
If only we had him now š©š©
— georgie boy (@leewight1) April 16, 2018
https://twitter.com/NorwegianSaint/status/985640478765993985
How we could have done with him this season, outstanding player
— David Curtis (@Davey2112) April 15, 2018
Testimonial cough cough @SouthamptonFC
— Jaypeg89 (@Jaypeg1989) April 15, 2018
One ricky lambert . What is he doing for the next 4 or 5 weeks? Come on ricky come back.
— Nick Graham (@nicksfc73) April 16, 2018
https://twitter.com/MrSimonThompson/status/985775953593937920
That last one sounds a little bit sarcastic – but many will share the mixed sentiment after the Chelsea debacle.
