ROBBIE Blake may be a lightweight on the scales, but he is pushing to be a heavyweight in the Championship goalscoring charts next season.

The Clarets hitman, who ended last term as the club’s 10-goal leading scorer following the departure of Andy Gray in January, has shed eight pounds over the summer to improve his chances of maintaining that mantle, albeit with more to his tally.

Pre-season for the 32-year-old started almost as soon as the final ball had been kicked in the 2007-08 campaign so that he could return to the club in peak condition at the beginning of the month.

And Blake admits he is feeling in great shape, and is desperate to blaze a goal trail.

“I have slimmed down a little and I am actually fighting fit, as they say, so I am keen now to get a few games under my belt in pre-season and hopefully start the season stronger,” he said.

“I wasn’t too happy with my form towards the end of last season and I realised I needed to get back down to the weight that I wanted to be, so now I’m there, hopefully I can do the business.”

And Blake admits he is excited about the prospect of showcasing the new-look Burnley squad on their tour of America, and seeing the new signings at close quarters for the first time in their games against Carolina RailHawks U23 and Minnesota Thunder.

“Pre-season has been fantastic and everyone has enjoyed it,” he said.

“I think the additions to the squad are quality and with having Michael Duff and Besart Berisha back from injury, they are like two new players, so the squad is really starting to take shape.

“Playing in America will be nice and it gives people a chance to see what we are all about.

“We want to win games because that breeds confidence, but it’s all about people getting match fitness under their belt ready for the start of the season “It is a mini tour, with America, Scotland and Ireland on the agenda, but there are plenty of games to look forward to and that’s the best way to get fitness, so it should stand us in good stead.”

And manager Owen Coyle admitted his troops were benefiting from a blend of youth and experience, with Adam Kay and Alex MacDonald joining last year’s youth team graduate Jay Rodriguez in the senior suqad.

“There’s no stopping the young kids and I think you can even push them on a bit.

“They realise themselves that there’s no margin for error when they’re training with the first team lads, whereas when they were with the younger boys there’d be little mistakes here and there.

“But they know any mistakes with the senior lads will be punished, and that helps them because then they’re more focused and concentrated, and hopefully it helps in their development.

“The three of them look fit and strong, which is great for us.”