Real Monarchs sign Jack Blake on loan from Tampa Bay Rowdies

Real Monarchs announced today that they have signed midfielder Jack Blake loan for the reaminder of the 2018 USL season. In what seems almost a required part of the announcement, General Manager Dan Egner noted that “Jack is a player we aggressively pursued in the past. We continued to monitor him when he joined the Rowdies, and when the opportunity to bring him in came about, there was no way we were going to miss out. We expect him to come in and compete with the group we have and help us achieve our goal of winning the USL Cup. He’s accomplished quite a bit for someone his age, and we’re excited to see the things he’ll do in a Real Monarchs kit.”

Since signing his first professional contract with Nottingham Forest in 2013, Jack has spent time at Mansfield Town, Minnesota United and Jacksonville Armada in the NASL, and the Tampa Bay this season in the USL. Blake also made five appearances for the U19 Scotland team although born in Nottingham, England. A current Green Card holder he will not take up an international sport on the Monarchs roster.

Blake and Kalen Ryden were teammates on the 2017 Jacksonville Armada team with Jack logging 2225 minutes in 25 appearances and Kalen logging 2774 minutes in 31 appearances. In addition Blake had 9 goals for the Armada including a hat trick against Indy Eleven on August 27th.

An early season starter for the Rowdies, Blake’s sole goal for Tampa Bay this season was named Goal of the Week for Week 1.

However, with changes in Rowdies coaching staff and approach he has been relegated to the bench for the past couple of months and has been looking for a way to get some playing time during the rest of his current contract which ends in November 2018.

Quite a showman, you may want to take some time and check out Blake’s YouTube channel. it includes several day in the life vignettes in a a series entitled “The Blakedown” as well as several with teammates including Kyle Curinga and Max Lachowecki from last years Monarchs.

Blake is scheduled to join his new Monarchs teammates for training beginning on June 22 and will bring a level of professionalism and dedication to a unit looking to provide a great experience and training ground for the Academy players looking to turn professional.

“I’m really excited to be joining a club with such a good quality and reputation,” Blake said. “When I got the opportunity to join a club like the Monarchs I was extremely excited. I’m really excited at the chance to play with all of the quality players in the squad and help contribute to the continued success of the Monarchs.”