# Ryan Blake (footballer)

Ryan George Blake (born 8 December 1991) is an English former professional footballer who plays as a left back for Combined Counties League Premier Division North club Virginia Water.
Blake is a product of the Brentford youth system and made one Football League appearance for the club. After his release in 2012, he dropped into non-League football. Blake was capped by Northern Ireland at youth level.

## Career
### Brentford

A left back, Blake began his career in the Centre of Excellence at Brentford and signed a two-year scholarship during the 2008 off-season. He was an unused substitute on 19 occasions during the 2009–10 League One season and made what would be his only senior appearance for the club as a substitute for Lionel Ainsworth in a 1–1 draw with Yeovil Town on 24 April 2010.
Despite signing his first professional contract during the 2010 off-season, Blake found his first team chances limited during the 2010–11 season and was an unused substitute on just four occasions. He was loaned to Conference South clubs Woking and Ebbsfleet United during the season and made 16 appearances across both spells.
Blake signed new a one-year contract to be part of the Development Squad for the 2011–12 season and spent much of the season on loan at Conference South clubs Farnborough and Hampton & Richmond Borough. He failed to feature at all under new manager Uwe Rösler and was released when his contract expired in June 2012.

### Non-League football

Following an unsuccessful trial with Lincoln City, Blake returned to then-Conference Premier club Ebbsfleet United on a permanent contract during the 2012 off-season. He made only eight appearances during his only full season with the club, which suffered relegation to the Conference South.
Blake transferred to Southern League First Division Central club Chertsey Town in August 2013 and was awarded the captaincy. He transferred Isthmian League Premier Division club Kingstonian during the 2014 off-season, but made only 8 appearances, with his final match coming in early December 2014.
Blake re-entered non-League football with Hellenic League Premier Division club Virginia Water in 2020. The club transferred to the Combined Counties League Premier Division North in 2021 and Blake progressed to become club captain.

## International career

Blake was capped by Northern Ireland at U19 and U21 level. He made his U19 debut in a 2–2 2010 European U19 championship elite qualifying draw with Russia on 23 May 2010, coming on as a 41st-minute substitute for Dean Jarvis. Blake made his U21 debut on 3 September 2010, coming on as an 86th-minute substitute for Paddy McLaughlin in a 4–0 2011 European U21 Championship qualifying victory over San Marino. He made his second U21 appearance in a friendly against Wales on 9 February 2011, starting the match and playing an hour before being substituted.

## Career statistics

    As of match played 10 December 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Brentford | 2009–10 | League One | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Brentford | 2010–11 | League One | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brentford | Total | Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Woking (loan) | 2010–11 | Conference South | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| Ebbsfleet United (loan) | 2010–11 | Conference South | 11 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Farnborough (loan) | 2011–12 | Conference South | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Hampton & Richmond Borough (loan) | 2011–12 | Conference South | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 |
| Ebbsfleet United | 2012–13 | Conference Premier | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Ebbsfleet United | Total | Total | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Kingstonian | 2014–15 | Isthmian League Premier Division | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Virginia Water | 2020–21 | Hellenic League Premier Division | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Virginia Water | 2021–22 | Combined Counties League Premier Division North | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Virginia Water | 2022–23 | Combined Counties League Premier Division North | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| Virginia Water | 2023–24 | Combined Counties League Premier Division North | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | 29 | 0 |
| Virginia Water | 2024–25 | Combined Counties League Premier Division North | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Virginia Water | Total | Total | 63 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 | 84 | 0 |
| Virginia Water Reserves | 2021–22 | Surrey Premier County League | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 98 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 125 | 1 |
* 1 2 Appearance in FA Trophy
* ↑ 1 appearance in Isthmian League Cup, 1 appearance in Surrey Senior Cup
* ↑ Appearances in Hellenic League Challenge Cup
* ↑ Appearance in Southern Combination Challenge Cup
* ↑ 2 appearances in Combined Counties League Premier Challenge Cup, 1 appearance in Southern Combination Challenge Cup
* ↑ 4 appearances in Combined Counties League Premier Challenge Cup, 2 appearances in Southern Combination Challenge Cup, 2 appearances in FA Vase