Ryan Blake

Ryan Blake
Personal information
Full nameRyan George Blake[1]
Date of birth8 December 1991
Place of birthWeybridge, England
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Playing positionDefender
Club information
Current team
Kingstonian
Youth career
????–2009Brentford
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2009–2012Brentford1(0)
2010→ Woking (loan)3(0)
2011→ Ebbsfleet United (loan)11(0)
2011→ Farnborough (loan)4(1)
2012→ Hampton & Richmond Borough (loan)2(0)
2012–2013Ebbsfleet United8(0)
2013–2014Chertsey Town(3)
2014–Kingstonian0(0)
National team‡
2010Northern Ireland U191(0)
2010–2011Northern Ireland U212(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:11, 21 April 2013 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12:04, 31 January 2012 (UTC)

Ryan George Blake (born 8 December 1991) is a football left-back currently playing for Kingstonian in the Isthmian League Premier Division. He was capped for Northern Ireland at age-group level.

Career

Brentford

A left-back, Blake began his career with League One side Brentford, signing a scholarship deal in the summer of 2008.[2] He was allocated the number 27 first team shirt for the 2009/10 season, despite being just 17 years old. His maiden call into the first team squad came on 8 August 2009 for the opening game of the season against Carlisle United.[3] Along with other youngsters Fraser Franks and Lewis Ferrell, Blake remained on the bench for the 3-1 victory.[4] He was an unused substitute on 19 occasions throughout the season[3] and made his debut in a 1-1 draw with Yeovil Town on 24 April 2010, when he replaced Lionel Ainsworth after an hour.[5] With the expected departure of first-choice left-back Ryan Dickson at the end of the 2009/10 season, Blake stated that "I'd definitely like to think I could battle for a first team spot next season", with manager Andy Scott in agreement.[2] Despite signing his first professional contract in the summer of 2010,[6] Blake found his first team chances limited during the 2010/11 season and was an unused substitute on just four occasions.[7] Blake signed new a one-year contract to be part of the Development Squad for the 2011/12 season[6] and made 9 appearances, scoring one goal. Spending much of the season out on loan, Blake failed to feature at all for the first team under new manager Uwe Rösler during the 2011/12 campaign and was released when his contract expired in June 2012.[8]

Woking (loan)

Blake moved to Conference South side Woking on a one-month loan on 2 October 2010. He made four appearances during his spell[9] and returned to Brentford on 2 November.[10]

Ebbsfleet United (loan)

Following recovery from an injury,[10] Blake signed for Conference South side Ebbsfleet United on loan on 11 January 2011.[11] He made 12 appearances during his loan[9] and returned to Brentford on 20 April.

Farnborough (loan)

Blake signed for Conference South side Farnborough on a one-month loan on 28 October 2011.[12] He made five appearances during his spell[9] and scored the equaliser in a 3-1 away league victory over Salisbury City on 19 November.[13] He returned to Brentford on 29 October after his loan expired.

Hampton & Richmond Borough (loan)

Blake signed for Conference South side Hampton & Richmond Borough on a one-month loan on 18 January 2012, linking up with former Brentford youth teammate Lewis Ferrell.[14] He made only two appearances[9] and returned to Brentford on 17 February after his loan expired.

Permanent signing for Ebbsfleet United

After an unsuccessful trial for Lincoln City,[15] Blake signed for Conference side Ebbsfleet United in the summer of 2012, linking up with former Brentford Development Squad teammate Liam Bellamy.[16] He made only eight appearances during his only season with the club,[9] as Ebbsfleet suffered relegation to the Conference South.

Chertsey Town

Blake signed for Southern League Division One Central side Chertsey Town in August 2013 and was awarded the captaincy.[17] He departed the club at the end of the 2013/14 season.

Kingstonian

In the summer of 2014, Blake joined Isthmian League Premier Division side Kingstonian.[18]

International career

Blake was called up for Northern Ireland at U19 and U21 level. He made his U19 debut in a 3-2 friendly defeat against Italy on 25 May 2010 and played the full 90 minutes. Blake made his U21 debut on 3 September 2010, coming on as an 86th minute substitute for Patrick McLaughlin in a 4-0 2011 European U21 Championship qualifying victory over San Marino.[19] He made his second appearance for the U21s in a friendly against Wales on 9 February 2011, starting the match and playing an hour before being substituted.[20][21]

References

  1. ↑ "Search 1984 to 2006 – Birth, Marriage and Death indexes". Findmypast.com. Retrieved 2012-01-31.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Murtagh, Jacob (2010-04-28). "Brentford youngster Ryan Blake eyes first-team spot". Get West London. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Espn Fc". Espn Fc. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  4. ↑ "Carlisle v Brentford - 8th Aug 2009 | Teams | Sky Bet League 1 | Sky Sports Football". .skysports.com. 2009-08-08. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  5. ↑ Sky Bet League 1 (2010-04-24). "Brentford v Yeovil - 24th Apr 2010 | Report | Sky Bet League 1 | Sky Sports Football". .skysports.com. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Murtagh, Jacob (2011-05-29). "Blake will benefit from Bees development squad, says Ose". Get West London. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  7. ↑ "Espn Fc". Espn Fc. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  8. ↑ "Brentford full backs set to leave - Brentford". London 24. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 "Ryan Blake Profile". Aylesbury United FC. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Woking Football Club | News | Winger Signs On Loan". Wokingfc.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  11. ↑ Cawdell, Luke (2011-01-11). "Ebbsfleet United clinch loan signing of Brentford defender Ryan Blake ahead of Hampton & Richmond clash". Kentonline.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  12. ↑ "Bees' Blake in Boro loan deal | Football News". Sky Sports. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  13. ↑ Couch, Jon (2011-11-24). "Football: Salisbury City 1 Farnborough 3". Get Hampshire. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  14. ↑
  15. ↑ Murtagh, Jacob (2012-05-01). "Lincoln eye Brentford defender". Get West London. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  16. ↑ Ebbsfleet United sign Ryan Blake and Phil Walsh. BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19081564
  17. ↑ "Blake Signs for Chicks | Pitchero Non League". Nonleague.pitchero.com. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  18. ↑ http://www.surreycomet.co.uk/sport/football/kingstoniannews/11397027.Kingstonian_boss_Williams_faces_late_fitness_test_worry/
  19. ↑ jcd (2010-09-05). "NIFG: Ryan Blake". Nifootball.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  20. ↑ "Blake caps Ebbsfleet loan with international bow - Sport". Kent News. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  21. ↑ "U21 SQUAD ANNOUNCED TO FACE WALES". Irishfa.com. 2011-02-09. Retrieved 2014-06-29.

External links