Thanks Rickie for providing my favourite moment as a Saints fan so far - those last 10 minutes against Millwall away when we turned a 2-1 loss into a 3-2 victory thanks to Rickie's hat-trick. 
Rickie Lambert Retires
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To think there were debates comparing him to Andy "Carthorse" Carroll attempting to establish who was the better player! What a joke, there was always only one ever answer, arise SRL - club legend. Enjoy your brief retirement before your posting at SMS..............
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A special player, so very very different to the mercenaries of the game. If there is no movie or documentary about Ricky in the works I'm ready to get started on one. His is truly one of the great football stories and the man deserves every warm wish he's received. Can't think of another player who seemed so happy and proud to pull on a football shirt and play his heart out.
They were exhibiting the same ignorance about Saints and the players as they have ever shown these recent years. And most of the time before that too. Huge inaccuracies which we just tend to put up with.
Totally agree, and does anyone remember the coverage of our game at Fratton? Alan "I-know-****-all-but-my-geordie-accent-is-quite-cute" Shearer was bought in as a Saints "expert" while Steven Claridge was bought in to do the same job for Pompey. Claridge did the analysis of both teams and spoke highly of Rickie as a general footballer. He was a bloody nightmare to defend against, which is always good as an attacker. That poor sod in the JPT final who handled the ball because he knew Rickie was behind him said it all. But only those who properly watched him play could see he was a technically gifted player. Alan Pardew saw it, an act which means I can forgive the cockney twat anything. Mrs Fonte may disagree, but that's another matter.
I know the game well. It was a cup match where we drew 1-1. I actually cited Alan Shearer's huge ignorance back at the time on this forum and praised Steve Claridge's insight. Shearer's every word showed that he hadn't a clue. Claridge's showed that he had a pretty decent knowledge.
Love you Rickie 
All his Sants goals in one video. The man love is real.
All his Sants goals in one video. The man love is real.
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He had an instinct for goals. He had an instinct for a super pass. For those of us who have played the game, you get those players and you wonder why they don't go onto better things. And for many years Rickie was destined to not realise his potential. I never played with or against [to my knowledge] anyone as good as Rickie Lambert. I know there will be plenty who will appreciate his skill and vision and plenty who won't. Even when he was demonstrating his ability week in, week out, in the glare of the FL and then PL cameras he was still being underestimated. He was always slightly underestimated. And yet he was totally worthy of his England caps and probably should have played a little more for England, possibly in the same way he played for Saints. The roaming CF who held up the ball, or came deep to receive the ball and played a killer through pass, or over the top, or who simply linked play superbly. I put him up there with Mick, Terry and Ron, and they were my boyhood Saints heroes. He is a true Roy of the Rovers footballer. Except that he was a Saint, and always will be so.
111 is a goal we would never score now. Forgot what it was like to watch one of our wingers beat their man and put in a dangerous ball...
I have just emailed the club:
Dear Saints,
You don't need me to tell you the biggest challenge our first team squad is facing. After all it is exactly the same problem we have been facing for practically the whole of this year.
Given that our squad is undeniably packed with quality, it is something of a conundrum. Sport is full of these seemingly inexplicable statistical anomalies of course and sometimes you can just stumble upon a solution.
May I please point out that I believe that solution has just retired from playing? How about you get on the phone and get the Big Man signed up as a striking coach right now before someone else does?
Thanks awfully
Dan
(On behalf of an estimated 99.9% of all Saints fans)
Dear Saints,
You don't need me to tell you the biggest challenge our first team squad is facing. After all it is exactly the same problem we have been facing for practically the whole of this year.
Given that our squad is undeniably packed with quality, it is something of a conundrum. Sport is full of these seemingly inexplicable statistical anomalies of course and sometimes you can just stumble upon a solution.
May I please point out that I believe that solution has just retired from playing? How about you get on the phone and get the Big Man signed up as a striking coach right now before someone else does?
Thanks awfully
Dan
(On behalf of an estimated 99.9% of all Saints fans)
I just assumed that I wouldn't have been the first one to send in such a request so the 0.1% who had already asked didn't need me doing it on their behalf
My favourite ever saints player. He did so much for the club, an absolute gent, and criminally underrated by everyone except saints fans.
It's one of footballs mysteries that it took so long for him to get to the top level. It's also a shame, as he genuinely had it all as a striker and could have scored plenty more premier league goals in my opinion. Oh well, others loss was our gain. Thank you Rickie.
It's one of footballs mysteries that it took so long for him to get to the top level. It's also a shame, as he genuinely had it all as a striker and could have scored plenty more premier league goals in my opinion. Oh well, others loss was our gain. Thank you Rickie.
Just sat and watched on YouTube all 117 goals - made me happy and sad at the same time - we had great days with the teams we had coming up into the EPL - just coming to realise that that particular dream seems to be coming to an end - but its been a great few years and Ricky was such a big part of it.
Thank you Rickie for all the joy you have given us.
Thank you Rickie for all the joy you have given us.
I even forgive him for scoring the winner against Scotland. Not long after Saints beat Coventry to get promoted, my son was in John Lewis paying for something at the till - when he was done, he turned round and Rickie was in the queue behind him - it made his day to shake his hand.
Ugh. Watching those goals just highlighted how differently I watch Saints now.
I used to feel like there were real people, with tendencies and tactics and strengths and weaknesses and options. "Oooh, Lallana's got it. I bet if he can beat his man outside he can cut it back and Lambert will be there." "Oh a cross? Yeah, good thought. Rickie was in the box and you got to give him a chance there because he can put one in." "Yes, yes, get the foul. That's in Rickie's wheelhouse." "We are not having much luck punching the ball into the final third today but maybe we can pull Rickie back and see if he can make one of those long diagonals."
Now I watch the like it's a football simulation and everything is a matter of odds. "Yeah, there's... some guys in the middle. Yeah just kick it in there. We do that four times maybe some defender falls asleep." "Ooooh, Long was on a breakaway. We just need him to keep getting open like that. If he gets three chances like that he's bound not to shank one of them." It's like put 10 crosses in, 5 might end up decent, we will screw up the finish on 4 of those 5, and score 1.
It's like watching Pong or something. The ball skitters around somewhat randomly, and you just hope you can keep bouncing it off of guys enough times that it will go in at some point. I don't know how we will score or why. I have no idea how we can even go about doing it. Just everyone run around and hustle hard and with enough opportunities we will get lucky at some point.
I used to feel like there were real people, with tendencies and tactics and strengths and weaknesses and options. "Oooh, Lallana's got it. I bet if he can beat his man outside he can cut it back and Lambert will be there." "Oh a cross? Yeah, good thought. Rickie was in the box and you got to give him a chance there because he can put one in." "Yes, yes, get the foul. That's in Rickie's wheelhouse." "We are not having much luck punching the ball into the final third today but maybe we can pull Rickie back and see if he can make one of those long diagonals."
Now I watch the like it's a football simulation and everything is a matter of odds. "Yeah, there's... some guys in the middle. Yeah just kick it in there. We do that four times maybe some defender falls asleep." "Ooooh, Long was on a breakaway. We just need him to keep getting open like that. If he gets three chances like that he's bound not to shank one of them." It's like put 10 crosses in, 5 might end up decent, we will screw up the finish on 4 of those 5, and score 1.
It's like watching Pong or something. The ball skitters around somewhat randomly, and you just hope you can keep bouncing it off of guys enough times that it will go in at some point. I don't know how we will score or why. I have no idea how we can even go about doing it. Just everyone run around and hustle hard and with enough opportunities we will get lucky at some point.