ROBBIE Blake’s patience has been put to the test this season.

Having put himself through a summer fitness regime to shed 8lbs to return leaner and meaner for the start of the season, the 32-year-old has found himself on the bench for the last eight league games.

But with the Clarets only just ending a nine-game unbeaten run, in all competitions, while it hasn’t softened the blow, Blake accepts it’s almost impossible to argue with the team selection.

However, he only needs to look at the opposition tomorrow to see he’s not alone.

Kevin Phillips may be topping the goalscoring charts of leaders Birmingham with four Championship strikes, but he has only started as many league games this season. His last on that short list was fully justified as he scored the only goal against QPR to send the Blues into the international break on a winning note.

Blake admitted he was stunned that, even though Phillips turned 35 in the summer, newly promoted West Bromwich Albion were willing to let him go without a fight. But he is confident the Baggies loss is his former club’s gain.

“He’s frightening. The guy can finish, and you never lose that knack of scoring goals,” said Blake.

“He’s scored at every level. He’s a top player and a top professional, not only as a player but keeping himself in great shape and churning the goals out week in, week out, it’s testimony to him really.

“I’m very surprised West Brom let him go because give him a chance in the box and he’ll score. It’s always valuable to have a player like that.

“Players start peaking a little bit later now. Just look at Dean Windass.

“He’s 38-39 and has never been a quick player, but it’s all in the brain. He’s never been a poacher of a goalscorer but he’s still played at the highest level.

“Phillips is 35 and still has a couple of years left in him, certainly.”

It’s even possible that Phillips could end a three-season exile from the Premier League come the end of this campaign with high-flying Birmingham, who gave Blake a taste of the top-flight when they offered £1.25million to end his first spell at Turf Moor in January 2005.

“It’s a fantastic club, well run, with good owners and a very good manager, and they’ve got terrific players.

"It’s going to be a good game for us, and certainly it’s nice to play one of my old teams,” said Blake, who left St Andrews just six months after signing.

“I wish I could have stayed there longer, but that’s football.

“I felt I got a fair crack of the whip at Birmingham.

"I was involved in every game; I was brought on and started games.

"Steve (Bruce) was pretty straight with me and said I could stay, no problem.

But he wanted to bring players in and he left it up to me.

“I made the decision to go to Leeds, and I don’t regret that.

“He was trying to bring in Walter Pandiani at the time, but there was a problem with him signing, but they had Clinton (Morrison) and Emile (Heskey) there as well.

“It was just one of those decisions I made.

"But at the end of the day I had a great time when I was there, the fans were great to me, but you move on, and I wish them the best after tomorrow’s game.”

He added: “They’re a Premiership club in stature, and I think they’ve proved that over the last five or six years.

"They’re a Premiership team with a Premiership manager and chairman.

“They’re going to be difficult to beat, and we knew from the start of the season they would be in the top two, which they’re showing now.

"They’re the benchmark for this season, so we’ve got to play well tomorrow and hopefully get the result we want.”