Pictures of England v Scotland at Wembley in August 2013

Not one of the characters dreamed up by the Brothers Grimm enjoyed as much of a fairytale story as Rickie Lambert did during his footballing career.

He made his England debut against Scotland on August 15, 2013, and the occasion had a bit of everything; from hype to nerves to glory.

Before the game Lambert looked a bit like a nervous kid on his first day of school. He appeared to feel almost out of place as though he was wondering just how he got there.

It was all part of his very own Roy of the Rovers footballing story as he warmed up alongside seasoned England pros he had watched on TV as a third-tier player.

The atmosphere at Wembley was electric – something Lambert likely felt as much as any other.

He took up his place in the centre of the back row of the England bench for the first half before getting out onto the pitch at half-time.

His international debut was teased for some time as he was one of only five England subs to warm up during the break and just three minutes into the second period he was back out preparing himself on the touchline.

The waiting was surely the toughest part as Lambert had clearly been told he was going to come on at some point, but he didn’t know when.

Eventually the moment came.

With 65 minutes on the clock, Gary Neville walked into the technical area and signalled to both Lambert and James Milner.

Just moments later they were ready for action, Lambert on for Wayne Rooney as the focal point of the England attack.

Just three minutes after he was introduced Leighton Baines hit an outswinging left-footed corner, Lambert was left unmarked and rose beautifully to arrow a header into the bottom corner of the net.

Wembley Erupted as the score went to 3-2 in England’s favour.

Lambert didn’t know what to do with himself as he ran one way, then the other, then the other again.

He was shouting for joy, mobbed by his teammates and that smile so familiar to Saints fans was painted across his face.

But, it almost got even better.

In injury time he was found by Wilfried Zaha’s low cross and his first-time finish was kept out only by the post.

Moments later he forced Alan McGregor into a save.

When the final whistle went his name rung around the ground.

The cameras were in his faces, his superstar teammates were queueing up to congratulate him and he was immediately led off for pitch-side interviews.

The world was waking up to Lambert, not that the Scotland fans, whose boos drowned out his words over the PA system, seemed to appreciate it too much.

Lambert’s goal was all the more important as it was the winner in the renewed England v Scotland rivalry.

Lambert was only able to watch from the sidelines as the first four goals of the game went in.

James Morrison gave ex-Saints manager Gordon Strachan’s Scotland the lead on 11 minutes with a shot from 20 yards that Joe Hart should have kept out.

Saint Theo Walcott – who was with Arsenal at the time – levelled things up on 29 minutes as he cut onto his left foot and finished low past the keeper.

Kenny Miller put Scotland back in front four minutes after the restart as he finished into the bottom corner but just four minutes later England were level again through Danny Welbeck’s flicked header.

Then enter Lambert and the rest is now history.