RICKIE LAMBERT has become the highest-paid player at Bristol Rovers after signing a new three-year deal.
Top scorer Lambert has committed himself to the club in time for his 100th competitive start for the Pirates on Saturday.
It took the Liverpudlian 10 appearances to open his goal account for Rovers after signing for £200,000 in August 2006 from Rochdale. But, approaching his ton in starts, Lambert is now Rovers’ leading striker – and has signed a deal which will keep him at the Memorial Stadium until 2011.
Lambert is joint top scorer in League One this season with six goals in five starts and, after a summer of negotiations, is relieved to have secured his future.
He said: “From the beginning I knew how much they believed in me and wanted me, and the club knew I felt the same way.”
“There haven’t been any major problems, we’ve just been getting there slowly and now it’s all sorted.”
“I’m happy it’s done now and I can concentrate on playing football.”
Lambert’s ten strikes in his opening season were instrumental in Rovers promotion to League One and their appearance at the Millennium Stadium in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Final.
Almost doubling his tally last season with 19 goals the 6ft 2in marksman helped keep Rovers in the division and fired them to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
In February 2007 he secured a lasting place in the hearts of Gas fans with a 65th minute, second-leg strike to knock rivals Bristol City out of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and has become very fond of his new home.
He said: “I love the area and I’d be happy staying here for at least three more years. My family – my girlfriend and my little boy – are happy here just like me. So I’m pleased to say I’ll be a Bristolian until 2011.”
The former Blackpool trainee turned heads at Macclesfield during a 12-month stint and secured a club-record £300,000 move to Stockport in 2002. After 98 league appearances and 18 goals he moved on a free transfer to Rochdale. He rediscovered his scoring touch and 22 goals in 2005-06 alerted Rovers.
Lambert’s last goal came in Saturday’s 5-4 defeat at Peterborough but he believes the team is progressing. He said: “I’ll think we’ll click as a team soon, and if we can get a win under our belts on Saturday then I think we’ll soon get going up the table.
“The season has started well for me on a personal note and every chance I get I feel I can score.“There would be no better way for me to celebrate this new deal than to score a goal or two against Walsall on Saturday.”
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