Rickie Lambert's dad fired from job after accidentally breaking vending machine

Lambert in action for England

Liverpool striker Rickie Lambert will go into the World Cup under gloomy circumstances after his dad lost his job when he accidentally damaged a vending machine, accoring to the Daily Mail.

The England international’s 54-year-old father Ray stated that he was fired after inadvertently breaking a panel on the coffee machine while attempting to get a £1 cup of coffee. Ray, who works at one of clothing company Matalan’s warehouses, was escorted out of the premises by three security guards last week.

The dad of three will leave for Brazil next week with his 57-year-old wife Maureen to watch Rickie turn out for the Three Lions, according to a colleague. The older Lambert is extremely unhappy with the manner of his firing and may file an appeal.

The former colleague, who spoke under condition of anonymity, said: “It's a joke. Loads of people give that machine a nudge when it doesn’t work properly. But to sack him for something as trivial as that was pathetic.

“Ray’s worked at that warehouse ever since it opened. He had put his money into the vending machine to buy the coffee but the cup got lodged in the machine. He gave it a little shove to try and dislodge it but accidentally broke the glass panel.

“It wasn’t done with any malice. It had got stuck and he was trying to get it out.'

However, Matalan said there had been 'substantial damage to company property'.

A Matalan spokeswoman was quoted as saying: “Matalan confirms that an employee was recently dismissed from the company following an act of gross misconduct involving substantial damage to company property.

“Matalan takes its responsibility as an employer very seriously and has conducted this dismissal in accordance with the company’s disciplinary policy.”

Mr.Lambert, who earns £20,000-a-year, has been an employee with Matalan for ten years. The couple live about half a mile away from the warehouse in a terraced home.

The co-worker added: “He didn’t deliberately smash the glass.”

“He’s got lots of friends at the warehouse and is popular among his colleagues. He likes to work even though his son is a millionaire and he doesn’t have to.

“Rickie may have just signed to Liverpool for £4m but Ray has always been keen to stand on his own two feet. He and Maureen are desperately proud of what Rickie has achieved and I am sure that this will not destroy their trip to the World Cup.”

Mr Lambert, who will watch his son against Uruguay and Costa Rica, declined to comment about the loss of his job.