Alan Pardew looks set to make his first cash signing.

Alan Pardew looks set to get the Swiss cheque book out for the first time as Bristol Rovers striker Ricky Lambert seems set to join Saints.

Lambert who netted 29 league goals for Rovers last season is no spring chicken at 27, but has extensive experience in the lower leagues, his 299 starts plus 38 as sub yielding 105 goals, but it has been in the past three seasons at Bristol Rovers that he has really made his mark.

Originally a midfield player it has been his conversion to a striker that has galvanised his career and his signing looks to be a shrewd one, with a few bob to spend the temptation might have been to go for a name player who is on the way down, however in Lambert you have a player who is at the peak of his career and looking to further it. Not to mention that he knows the division well

His versatility is of course an option as he can play in midfield but at 6ft 2 its as an attacker that he is being bought as.

The key to Saints season will be Pardew making 2 or 3 crucial signings, it seems he is thinking it through, both in taking his time to get the right men, but in the type of player he is targeting, Saints now need to offload both Rasiak & Saganowski, whilst both would be an asset, the truth is we need to offload them for players like Lambert, hungry to play in this division.      

Photo: Action Images

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