What started with his name called first at the 2014 MLS SuperDraft has grown into a special moment at Subaru Park on Saturday night as Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Andre Blake made his 212th MLS regular season start
With the start in goal for the Boys in Blue, Blake passes former teammate Ray Gaddis for the club's all-time record in the statistic.
The Jamaican has amassed quite the resume during the past decade with Philadelphia, putting on amazing displays that have coined numerous catchphrases such as Saves By Dre and Brick Wall Blake. Blake has amassed four MLS All-Star Appearances (another team record), three MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Awards (the first player in MLS history to do so) and literally owns the entire record book of the Union. One of two Union players to play every single minute of their 2022 MLS regular season, Blake led the league with 15 shutouts to re-establish the club record. The Jamaican international saved 79.4 percent of the shots he faced in 2022, which is the most among goalkeepers who have appeared in at least three games. With Blake in the net, the Union achieved the fewest goals ever conceded (26) by any MLS team during a 34-game season.
“To see him go through some adversity early on in his career with injuries and not getting the opportunity to be a starter right away. He put his head down, keep quiet and work hard to now see his rise to be the best goalkeeper that our league has, has been awesome to watch,” Head Coach Jim Curtin said on Blake. “ I’ve loved watching his leadership in the locker room where when he speaks, everyone listens. He is a big part of the culture change at this club and us getting to our winning ways. Andre Blake will be up there next to Seba in the stadium alongside Ale Bedoya but I cannot say enough about Andre. To watch him grow and improve little aspects of his game every year. If you watch him now with his feet, he adds a layer to his game and he is never satisfied.”
In his previous 211 starts, Blake has made 648 saves in nearly 19,000 minutes of league regular season action. Blake has racked up 66 clean sheets and sports an impressive 1.23 goals against average.
