The 28-year-old striker from Leamington, who has scored 181 goals in more than 350 appearances for Brakes, had an inevitable part to play in the team's BGB Midlands Division title-clinching 8-0 win over Malvern Town on Saturday.

But such success has become normal to Blake, who has enjoyed five
promotions since he made his debut against Enville Athletic in the
Midland Football Combination Second Division in August 2000.

He said: "Saturday was just a great day.

"It has been brilliant to see how far we have come in the time I have been here."

Having been manager Jason Cadden's first signing when Leamington reformed nine years ago, Blake has had to get used to playing
at a higher standard on almost a yearly basis.

And he is looking forward to the new and greater challenge of BGB Premier Division football next season.

Blake said: "The higher up you go you get more quality players in each
side.

"You've just got to adapt and you have to be very fit.

"I've always been a quick player sothere's always that chance I can get
onto a through ball and get there first."

With Leamington now welcoming regularly large crowds at the ever improving New Windmill ground and preparing to play in a league they last graced 25 years ago, Blake said he could never have imagined this situation when he first joined the Brakes.

He said: "As a season goes on you start to think 'we could get promoted'.

"There have been a couple of setbacks along the way but we have always bounced back.

"I'm still buzzing - the whole town is and has been since day one.

"People love it up there and I'm just glad to be part of it and long may it continue."