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Rickie Lambert - most expensive 3rd tier player of all time?


SaintBobby
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Apologies if this has been covered/discussed before, but...

 

Was having a pint last night with a mate who's an Arsenal fan, but in other ways is basically an acceptable member of the human race. He knows his football inside out and reckons Rickie Lambert is an exceptional player.

 

He then made the casual remark that at £1m, Lambert was by far and away the most expensive signing ever by a club in the English third division - and probably the most expensive by any third tier club in the world.

 

Questions:

 

1. Is £1m the confirmed transfer price for our new no. 7?

2. If yes, is my mate right that we have the most expensive player ever to play in the 3rd tier.

3. If yes, isn't that pretty f**king cool?

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From the Echo around the time of the Lambert transfer:

 

2002. Nathan Ellington. Bristol Rovers to Wigan. £1.2m

2001. Peter Thorne. Stoke to Cardiff. £1.7m

2001. Graham Kavanah. Stoke to Cardiff. £1m

1998. Barry Hayles. Bristol Rovers to Fulham. £2m

1997. Chris Coleman. Blackburn to Fulham. £2m

 

I wonder what £2m then is worth in today's inflated monopoly money. £1m is cheap as chips by comparison.

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From the Echo around the time of the Lambert transfer:

 

2002. Nathan Ellington. Bristol Rovers to Wigan. £1.2m

2001. Peter Thorne. Stoke to Cardiff. £1.7m

2001. Graham Kavanah. Stoke to Cardiff. £1m

1998. Barry Hayles. Bristol Rovers to Fulham. £2m

1997. Chris Coleman. Blackburn to Fulham. £2m

 

I wonder what £2m then is worth in today's inflated monopoly money. £1m is cheap as chips by comparison.

 

Hmmm....how disappointing. What about his alleged £8K per week salary?

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I remember the Bizzol manager saying the deal we were offering RL (in terms of pay) was extremely generous - an offer he couldn't refuse almost . It seems odd this player hasn't risen higher in the game because the quality is there for all to see .

 

I actually think we could "flip" him today and make a quick, tidy profit. To be fair to Rovers, they're not the biggest team in the world and Lambo is showing he can perform on a higher stage (yes, we're in the same division but there are added pressures and expectations playing for us).

 

On the playing side, I also think he's improved since joining- it seems that previous clubs were willing to tolerate his curry and chips lifestyle whereas Pards has cut him no such slack, working hard on his fitness. Southampton FC Ricky Lambert is alot sharper and more agile.

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I actually think we could "flip" him today and make a quick, tidy profit. To be fair to Rovers, they're not the biggest team in the world and Lambo is showing he can perform on a higher stage (yes, we're in the same division but there are added pressures and expectations playing for us).

 

On the playing side, I also think he's improved since joining- it seems that previous clubs were willing to tolerate his curry and chips lifestyle whereas Pards has cut him no such slack, working hard on his fitness. Southampton FC Ricky Lambert is alot sharper and more agile.

 

Lambert and Connolly or Saga and Rasiak - which do we prefer I wonder ?

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Lambert and Connolly or Saga and Rasiak - which do we prefer I wonder ?

 

If Connolly stays fit (a biggish if) and current form (Saga's confidence is shattered, Rasiak's a give-a-f**k mercenary while Lambo's star is on the way up), everything says Lambo and Connolly.

 

On paper, they're not even far behind Saga and Rasiak in terms of international goals scored - one area where Saga and Rasiak should have an advantage (based on faded glories of course).

 

Will be interested to see what kind of understanding Lambo and Connolly strike up - but it has all the hallmarks of a great little and large partnership. And its not as if Saga and Rasiak had anything much going- they rarely played together. Its just incredible that there were Championship sides in the summer that wanted to buy Saga and Rasiak together off the rack.

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From the Echo around the time of the Lambert transfer:

 

2002. Nathan Ellington. Bristol Rovers to Wigan. £1.2m

2001. Peter Thorne. Stoke to Cardiff. £1.7m

2001. Graham Kavanah. Stoke to Cardiff. £1m

1998. Barry Hayles. Bristol Rovers to Fulham. £2m

1997. Chris Coleman. Blackburn to Fulham. £2m

 

I wonder what £2m then is worth in today's inflated monopoly money.

£1m is cheap as chips by comparison.

 

 

...looking at those other historical deals, I'd say that Lambert would be cheap at double the price.

I'd say we have a very good deal, and so.. .apparantly does he :)

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...looking at those other historical deals, I'd say that Lambert would be cheap at double the price.

I'd say we have a very good deal, and so.. .apparantly does he :)

 

IMO for what he has to offer and what he has already offered...£1m is a snip for a player of his undoubted ability. He reminds me of a very good cross between Beattie and Rob Hulse...

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YES they were but fell like a lead balloon and were relegated to CCC 1998-99 after that ....who knows ?

 

I think they may have got relegated even after that but were back in Prem. League 2001-02.

 

Who indeed? Not as if you can look it up on the Interweb or anything :rolleyes:

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Lambert and Connolly or Saga and Rasiak - which do we prefer I wonder ?

 

People are always going to go for Lambert and Connolly in this scenario. It is perhaps unfair on the two Poles though as both have contributed massively to our most successful season since the cup final. Whilst neither is right for Saints at the moment, they should still be remembered for what they have given us in the past.

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Connolly has played all of half an hour for us and already he's the best thing since sliced bread.

 

How much more likely is it that he'll go the way of so many signings; arriving with a fanfare and leaving with his tail between his legs?

 

When we were leading 3-1 against Oldham with 8 mins to go, plus added time, I expect you still thought the game would end in a draw.... Saints have made some great signings over the years, for every Delgado, there is a Michael Svennson, for every Wright-Phillips there is a Crouch. Rickie is on the way up - and even better, on the way up with Saints.

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Lambert and Connolly or Saga and Rasiak - which do we prefer I wonder ?[/quote

 

Whilst I agree that lambert in particular looks at this point like money very well spent,and Connolly could be an inspired signing, clearly only time will tell.

 

Remember how good saga was when he arrived - goal a game wasnt he ( or similar)? - and Rasiak scored a bag full in the only full season he played.

 

I think the advantage Connolly and Lambert have over Saga and Rasiak is that they are at a stable club, run by sensible people, who can afford to pay the wages and are building for the future.

 

Both Saga and Rasiak experienced a joke of a football club, run by idiots, which unfortunately for them has set back their careers ( whilst I appreciate that they took the money , but I dont blame them for that).

 

So yes, very happy to have Lambo and Connolly,and think the future is bright, however that is as much to do with the whole set -up of the club, rather than them being better players than Saga and Rasiak- in my opinion. In form, and confident, both of the Poles would be bagging goals for fun in this league.

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