The 31-year-old has benefited from a rigorous training regime over the summer, shedding the pounds as he looks to rediscover the form that made him a huge crowd favourite in his first spell at the club.

Blake, one of the most talented players to pull on the Burnley shirt in the last quarter of a century, is looking to improve on his first season back at Turf Moor, when he netted 10 goals, and created 14 after returning from Leeds.

The former Bradford forward has been sharp as a tack in pre-season – worth the admission alone is games that rarely scale the heights.
And he said: "Every player goes away and thinks long and hard in the summer, and I thought (losing weight) was going to be the best thing for me.

"Judging by pre-season, I think it's beneficial that I have lost a bit of weight and I feel fit and sharp and strong, so hopefully that can continue throughout the season and do better than last season.

"I've lost between eight and 10 pounds. It was a gradual loss as well, it wasn't sudden – it was over the summer, doing things right and eating well. And I'm determined to stay in shape. It's just a nice feeling.

"I had a big problem with picking (at food), but I've cut that out and managed to eat my three solid meals a day and that's it.

"I was running virtually every day and eating the right foods – not having the two-week party where you go away and have a few drinks.
"I couldn't do that with a small child either!

"But I feel miles better and fitter. I feel quicker too. I'm not a pacy player anyway, but I do actually feel a little bit sharper off the mark.
"That might be in my head, but even if it is it's still beneficial to me."

Boss Owen Coyle is certainly in agreement that Blake has returned in terrific condition.

Coyle himself extended his playing career into his 40s, and the teetotaller has continued to look after his body, and he admitted: "Robbie has looked sharper. We had a chat at the end of the season and, there's no bigger admirer of Robbie than myself, but I would have hated him to finish his career and look back and feel he could have done better, because I believe he can.

"He has everything in his locker to be a top player. We've seen that in fits and starts, and I wanted to see that consistently.
"To be fair to him, we gave him a programme over the summer and he worked his socks off, came back a couple of kilos lighter and has probably felt better himself.

"That's all credit to him. We can give people the benefit of experience and pearls of wisdom, but ultimately it's up to each and every player to bring what they can to the party, and he's worked his socks off.
"Even in pre-season games he's been desperate to stay on, he doesn't want you to take him off, but we had a programme designed for them all to peak.

"If he's feeling good about himself, that's great for me, because I have someone who is mentally and physically right."
Blake has popped up all over the pitch in pre-season, influencing the game with his craft and guile.

And he is looking forward playing in a fluid attacking formation with the likes of Martin Paterson, Wade Elliott and Chris Eagles: "Hopefully (the interchanging) can pay off.

"It might take a little bit more time, but we've certainly got the players for a formation like that to work the way we want it to.
"Martin's really good, really sharp, he knows where the goal is, and he's a really good finisher as well.

"He's going to be a good addition for us, and we know if we're going to get the ball in the box Pato will stick it away for us.
"I think it's always nice to have that sort of player, because if you get the ball into the box, he's going to be there or thereabouts to score the goals.

"If we can keep clean sheets, with the people we've got going forward, we can win games.

"And Chris Eagles is a top quality player, played in the Champions League and he's had a good education coming from Manchester United.

"He's a really nice lad, and that makes a big difference because he's come in and got on well with all the lads and showed he's ready to work.
"He's a great addition for us, and he's only going to benefit us."

Blake feels the squad is certainly stronger last season, and he expects an improvement on the 13th place finish last season: "There's a lot of pace and power. With the way the gaffer likes us to play, the players he's brought in can all handle the ball and play well on the ball, so that should bode well for the season.

"I think we've got a better squad of players than last year, and we had a good squad then.
"I don't think you're going to have a runaway team in this Championship, it's going to be the same as last season.

"Everybody can beat everybody, it's just about getting a bit of consistency.
"Turf Moor's a difficult place to come to for any team, and we know we'll certainly beat where we were last year and hopefully it's onwards and upwards for us."

Form at Turf Moor was one reason why Burnley finished just below halfway – only six teams lost more home games in the division last time around.
And Blake concluded: "We know where we missed out last season, probably through our home form more than anything.
"Four teams who were bottom of the league came here and took the 12 points.

"You put those 12 points on our tally at the end of the season, you're in the play-offs virtually.

"We know what we've got to do, we're willing to do it and we've got the players to do it."