Some Southampton fans have been left to reminisce about their former striker Rickie Lambert in recent days.
Lambert, who is now retired from football, was celebrating his birthday on Sunday. The Southampton social media team added a post wishing the former England international on his birthday and it left many Saints fans nostalgic.
Was the club right to sell Lambert in 2014?
He shouldn't have been sold
We sold him at the right time
They hailed him as a ‘legend’ and made it clear that they miss Lambert at St. Mary’s.
Miss him soooooooooooo much
— WeMarchOn ™ (@kelvinlegod) February 16, 2020
Goal machine.
— Sam Nickerson (@samnickerson) February 16, 2020
A true Southampton legend.
— Historic Southampton (@HistoricalSoton) February 16, 2020
Wish I could turn the clock back, the Lambert days were some of the best days ever at St Marys, Happy birthday Legend.
— FootballCrazy (@Footbal28149607) February 16, 2020
Happy Birthday Rickie, great player for my two favourite teams @SouthamptonFC and @Official_BRFC
— Dr Julie Gammon (@jgammon2) February 16, 2020
Make those days magical in the lower leagues, and in the premier should have a had more England caps and been played in the world cup more, we should have never let him go. A true legend
— Little shop of books (@of_shops) February 16, 2020
Best days at St Mary’s with this man in the team we owe him so much what a player have a great day big man
— Simo (@Psimpson13Peter) February 16, 2020
Southampton signed Lambert in the summer of 2009 from Bristol Rovers. But he would leave the club in the summer of 2014, when he joined Liverpool for a £4.5 million fee.
For the Saints, Lambert made 230 appearances in all competitions. He got as many as 115 goals during that time, also getting 64 assists for them.
What do we think?
Lambert’s impact at the club can’t be underestimated. His goal tally was impressive and the way he helped Southampton return to the top flight leaves no wonder that these fans are keen to remember him so fondly.