The Longside Reference

Name : Robert 'Robbie' Blake

D.O.B. : 4th March 1976

Previous Clubs :Darlington, Bradford, Nottingham Forest, Burnley, Birmingham, Leeds, Burnley , Bolton Wanderers

Position:  Forward

Burnley Debut: 3rd Feb 2002, West Brom (H), Lost 0-2 (substitute)

Last game for Burnley: May 2010, Spurs (H), Won 4-2

Fee: £1.000.000 (First Spell) Signed by Stan Ternent

Fee: £250,000 (Second spell)  Signed by Steve Cotterill

Claret Honours: Play off winner 2009/10

Claret Stat: Robbie was re signed for Burnley by Steve Cotterill in July 2007 from Leeds almost two and a half years after leaving us for then Premiership team Birmingham for a fee of £1,500,000. Although not quite the player we had in his first spell Robbie remains a mercurial talent and at this level of football still exhibits skills a cut above the norm.

His first spell with us started under Stan Ternent in January 2002 as we pushed for a spot in the play-offs. In the short term it proved to be a poor move with Robbie arriving at less than 100% and troubled it seems by a stomach injury. His second season was far more productive although by this point the ITV'd disaster was biting hard at Burnley. We had little money to improve the team but Robbie quickly became a terrace favourite with his outstanding skill, scoring 16 goals. Next season proved even more fruitful with a tally of 22. In his last season during this stay he started amazingly well. Playing as a loan striker he was without doubt the outstanding player in the division and this caught the attention of his old mentor Paul Jewell who tried to entice him to Wigan. Burnley though resisted the advances and the situation appeared to be heading towards an unsavoury end with Robbie roundly booed as we played Wigan over the 2004/05 Christmas period.

The situation was resolved as Birmingham stepped in with a bid and a deal was quickly completed.

Though some fans still feel betrayed, this one was delighted when he returned. No player in recent times has come close to Robbie for football ability.

Robbie possibly one of the most gifted Clarets of recent years, turned down a one year deal offered to him by Brian Laws, and when Burnley and Laws offered a further 12 month deal based on appearances Robbie again turned down the deal, leaving Burnley at the end of the 2009/10 season.

Owen Coyle now the Bolton chief signed Robbie after the contract on offer was turned down by Robbie, who knows the real reason, Robbie stated on many occasions he didn't want to leave Burnley, maybe one last chance in the sun was too much a challenge for the player widely regarded as Burnley's best in many a year,

Robbie Blake had many glorious moments in the Burnley shirt, but the finest would be the goal that beat Manchester United on the opening home game of Burnley's Premiership season.

Second Spell

For full career stats see Soccerbase.com