Lambert only learned of his first call-up last Thursday after a sleepless night as his wife gave birth to the couple’s third child. The adulation he enjoyed post-match was fine reward for a nomadic career that has taken him from Blackpool to Macclesfield, Stockport to Rochdale, then prolific spells with Bristol Rovers and over four years at Southampton. “I know people will remind me every day about the beetroot factory [where he worked part-time for £20-a-day to supplement his income while with Macclesfield 12 years ago], but I don’t mind that,” he said. “It shows how far I’ve come, so it’s superb.”