The call-up of Rickie Lambert to the England squad will be welcomed by most Saints fans not with a jubilant cry, but more likely with a contented sigh which can be simply translated as "at last".

Southampton's talisman has long been championed by his supporters as deserving of an international cap and at last looks like he might just get it against Scotland next week.

One of the sports editors at the Evening Standard, Amar Singh, leapt to Twitter to ask "If Rickie Lambert is the answer then what, pray tell, is the question?"

It wasn't long before he had plenty of people queuing up to give him the question: "Who was the joint highest scoring Englishman in the Premier League last season?"

It was a message the St. Mary's faithful have been banging on about all last season, during which lambert confounded critics and naysayers to seamlessly make the step up to the top flight.

If strikers are judged by goals, then Lambert had done all he could yet still looked like he would be overlooked by Roy Hodgson, with friendlies coming and going without so much as a sniff of a call.

Some blamed the England set-up's preoccupation with the big clubs, others the fact Lambert played for unfashionable Southampton or just simply wasn't good enough.

Jonathan Liew, sports reporter at The Telegraph pointed out an overlooked difference between Lambert and his friend Grant Holt, whom he has been compared - rightly or wrongly - with for many-a-season.

Despite scoring a hatful in his first topflight season, Holt was similarly overlooked by England. His response?: "I gave up on that. It's ridiculous."

On the other hand, the incumbent of Southampton's number seven shirt said of his own experiences: "I've just got to prove that I'm good enough."

Indeed, it's an attitude that seems to have served him well throughout his career. Jettisoned from the Liverpool academy and released from his first club, Blackpool, Lambert took to factory work to make ends meet before landing a contract at Macclesfield in the fourth tier.

Many would have thrown in the towel - and you would not think any less of them for doing so - so kudos to him for that. Spells at various clubs culminated in hero status in Bristol but it was the signing by Alan Pardew which kickstarted his career with an injection of added professionalism, with which he shone - much to the delight and benefit of Saints.

There aren't many players to have scored goals in all four professional divisions, yet it is not an achievement that is much lauded. Even now, in his finest hour, some choose to snipe and berate.

But don't take that as evidence of Lambert's shortcomings - it's evidence of ignorance about what he is capable of.

At 31, Rickie Lambert probably does not have a decade of international football ahead of him nor does he enjoy electrifying pace, but what he does have is ability, strength and an impressive goal scoring record.

Surely that's what decides if a striker is good enough?

All that is left now is to hope that he gets his chance to show what he can do on the Wembley pitch.