Ben Burgess became a fan favourite at Griffin Park during the 2001/02 campaign, netting 18 goals in 51 appearances while on loan from Blackburn Rovers. In total, Ben led the line for 10 clubs during a 14-year career.

Now a teacher in Lancashire, Ben still keeps a close eye on the Bees and will be providing his thoughts ahead of each game this season.

Feeling Blue

What can you say about today’s opponents Chelsea? It's certainly been a difficult season for the Blues.

Thomas Tuchel was sacked in September, before Graham Potter had the near-impossible task of bedding in over £600 million pounds worth of new players.

And, after Potter was relieved of his duties in April, the club have opted to give club legend and former manager Frank Lampard another chance.

Despite their current woes, planning to play this Chelsea team must be very difficult because they have so many options all over the pitch.

The amount of lightning-quick wingers they have is crazy: Mykhalo Mudryk, Raheem Sterling, Christian Pulisic, Noni Madueke and Hakim Ziyech, as well as the likes of Carney Chukwuemeka and Armand Broja - it could even be argued that Joao Felix and Kai Havertz can play there as well.

I’d try and get some consistency with team selection if I were the Chelsea manager - eh, anything is possible!

Officially mad

I was by no means an angel when it came to dealing with officials, but the antics of footballers towards referees from the Premier League all the way to the grassroots is shocking, at times.

My 14-year-old daughter would quite like to get into refereeing, but I’m not sure I could let her when I see and hear reports of parents and players attacking, intimidating and verbally abusing officials.

If the standard of officiating is to get better in the professional game, then we need to see younger refs getting experience and learning from their mistakes in a safe environment and not feeling like, if they give a penalty in an under-7’s game, they will be rebuked for it.

I had many arguments with referees, but I never threatened them or laid a hand on them at all. There needs to be a level of respect, or the game would descend into chaos.

The best refs I have encountered are the ones who are consistent and the ones who have built up a relationship with players enough to be able to use humour to defuse a situation. All too often I would tell the ref he was rubbish and having a nightmare, and the best ones would just retort, ‘So are you!'.

I was extremely glad that the Football Association dealt with an investigation swiftly and decisively in the case of assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis.

All the headlines screamed that he deserved a lengthy ban for ‘elbowing’ Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson in the face. In reality, Robertson approached Hatzidakis, made contact with him, and the official just appeared to lift his elbow. There was no aggression or intention in the movement.

So props to the FA, on this occasion.