BRISTOL Rovers' top-scorer Rickie Lambert has signed a new three-year deal in time for his 100th competitive start for the Pirates on Saturday – making him the highest paid player at the club.

It took the Liverpulian ten appearances to open his goal account for Rovers after first signing for the club in August 2006 from Rochdale.

But, approaching his 100th start, Lambert is now Rovers' leading striker – and has signed a deal which will keep him at the Memorial Stadium until 2011 and reward him for his healthy strike rate.

The £200,000 signing from Rochdale is joint-top scorer in League One this season with six goals in five starts and, after a summer of steady negotiations, is relieved to have secured his future under manager Paul Trollope.

He is understood to be the highest paid player at the club.

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 just playing football."

Lambert's ten strikes in his opening season were instrumental in Rovers promotion to League One and their appearance at the Millenium 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.

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 – they're the most important things to me and they're happy here just like me. So I'm pleased to say I'll be a Bristolian until 2011."

Lambert's sixth strike of the season, a thunderous free-kick against Peterborough, was rendered worthless by poor defending, which denied the Pirates any points against the Posh. But the front man believes results will come.

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 no better way for me to celebrate this deal than to score against Walsall on Saturday."