The fairy tale of Rickie Lambert
If you have wanted to give up on anything in your life because you thought you were not good enough or if someone else said you are not good enough or even because you thought it’s too late now, then you have to read the story of Liverpool’s new summer signing Rickie Lambert.
Lambert’s story is nothing short of a fairy tale. It’s the story of a boy whose dreams started falling apart, but never gave up and achieved them as a man.
Initial Years of Struggle (1997-2001)
Lambert grew up as a huge Liverpool fan and he was part of the Red’s academy since the age of 10. Liverpool offloaded Lambert when he was just 15 years old.
Lambert then managed to become a trainee at Blackpool at the age of 16. He lost almost a year after leaving Liverpool and most teenagers in such a situation struggle to get their dream back on track.
Lambert was still young and he went on to make his professional debut on August 7th, 1999 at the age of 17, coming on as a 68th minute substitute against Wrexham.
Lambert struggled at Blackpool and he soon found himself playing on a month to month contract and was later released by the club in November 2000. He was out of work and spent nearly 4 months outside of football, he ended up working in a beet-root factory before Macclesfield offered him £50 a week in travel expenses.
Lambert though, looks back at this period of his career and realizes it taught him valuable lessons.
"It made me realise that it is not just going to happen for you," said Lambert. "If you don't do your best, you will have to say goodbye to your dreams."
Climbing Up the Ladder (2001-2009)
Macclesfield was a third division club for whom he signed on March 2001. He played nine times for them in his debut season there and then went on to become a regular in the next season. He scored 10 times in the 2002-03 season.
Macclesfield then received a club record £300,000 for Lambert from second division side Stockport County. Lambert could only manage 2 goals in his first season and Stockport, but scored 12 times in his second season there. The club was performing poorly and were also under the threat of relegation, this made Lambert leave them in 2005.
Lambert then moved down a division to play for Rochdale. Lambert scored 22 times for Rochdale in the 2005-06 season.
From Rochdale, Lambert was purchased on transfer deadline day by Bristol Rovers in 2007. Lambert had a disappointing first season, but his 86th minute goal in the last league game sent Bristol Rovers to the League Two playoffs from which they won promotion to League One.
Lambert played every game for the Overs in 2007-08 and scored 19 goals. In his next season at the club he won his first league golden boot by scoring 29 goals
The Making of Rickie Lambert (2009-Present)
In August 2009 Rickie Lambert completed a move to Southampton who were recently relegated. He was sold for a fee around 1 million.
Lambert helped the Saints finish 7th in his first season with the club despite a 10 point penalty for financial reasons. He also won the PFA fans player of the year that season for the division.
Lambert then helped the club finish second in the 2010-11 season and gained promotion to the Championship. He then continued his fine goal scoring form and helped the saints on their way to the premier league, gaining back to back promotions. During this period he was the Southampton player of the year twice in 2009-10 and 2011-12.
Lambert’s heroic journey didn’t end there. He soon established himself as a goal scoring striker even in the Premier League by scoring 15 times in his debut season.
Things went from good to better for Lambert in his second season in the Premier League. On August 2013, Lambert was called up to the English national team at the age of 31, it was on the same day that his third child was born.
Lambert’s moment came on the 14th of August; he came on as a substitute against Scotland and scored the winner with his first touch of the game, just 2 minutes and 43 seconds after entering the field. Lambert then scored in his second game for England after starting the game against Moldova, he also assisted Danny Welbeck twice in the game.
Lambert was rewarded for his good performances in the league by being picked for England’s squad which travelled to Brazil for the World Cup, where he made his debut against Uruguay after coming on as a substitute in the final 3 minutes of the game.
Things went from good to better for Lambert, but it was going to become great for Lambert on June 2nd, 2014.
17 years after being released by Liverpool, the club he supported his entire life because he was not good enough, Rickie Lambert signed for Liverpool as a 32 year old.
Lambert never gave up on his dream, he fought for it and achieved it. His life is not just a great story, it is also a lesson in life.