Popular defender stays with Hassocks for 2024-25 campaign
Popular right back Harvey Blake has committed to a fifth season as a Hassocks player which will undoubtedly delight the Beacon faithful.
The fan favourite played 33 times in 2023-24, scoring once on the final day of the campaign. It proved well worth the wait, however, Blake rounding off in style the 5-1 victory over Newhaven which secured Hassocks their playoff place.
His importance to the Robins was highlighted by James Westlake handing him the captain’s armband on occasions through the second half of the season.
After Alex Bygraves was ruled out with a long-term knee injury in February, Blake led Hassocks out on the occasions vice-captain Pat Harding was rested.
Blake is now closing in on 150 appearances for the club over his two spells. He arrived at the Beacon initially in the summer of 2018, signed from Mid Sussex Premier Division club Sporting Lindfield by Mark Dalgleish.
Only Liam Benson played more games for Hassocks than Blake’s 40 in the 2018-19 campaign as he easily made the step up from intermediate football.
Blake at right back and Jack Troak on the opposite side were two of the only bright spots in a dismal 2019-20 season prior to lockdown bringing things to an early halt.
It was not just on the pitch Blake contributed in that campaign. He helped out behind the bar alongside Phil Johnson when the duo were injured and organised the matchday raffle, ensuring record profits and Dave John winning every prize.
Johnson and Blake left for Crawley Down Gatwick in the summer of 2020. Blake spent the next two seasons at the Haven, playing 54 times and scoring three goals.
The duo returned to Hassocks ahead of the 2022-23 campaign, becoming Westlake’s fourth and fifth signings of the summer.
Blake missed only two of the Robins’ 47 matches in his first season back at the Beacon, passing a century of Hassocks games along the way.
