THE countdown clock is ticking. I just wish Burnley’s season started tomorrow and we didn’t have to wait until Monday night.

But if that’s the small price you have to pay for being in the Premier League, then I’ll take that all day long. Far better to be in this situation, competing with the big boys and all the trappings that come with it.

I’m just itching for that first game, so I can only imagine how the players will be feeling.

Chelsea, on the other hand, won’t be relishing their trip to Turf Moor, with the away dressing room alone no doubt a far cry from their usual Premier League comforts.

That can play to Burnley’s advantage. But it’s not the only thing.

It’s a brave new world for some that they are stepping into, but I back them to thrive on it.

The key to the Clarets’ success last season was teamwork. They were fabulous and worked consistently well as a unit.

But you are always looking for individuals to perform as well, especially at the top level. So for me it is players like Danny Ings and Lukas Jutkiewicz, and Sam Vokes when he is fit, that would be the ones to watch, with the defence trying to keep things as tight as they did last season.

When opportunities come along it’s important we take our chances because we’ve seen in the past that if we don’t we will get punished at the other end.

Mistakes will happen when you come up against quality opposition – certainly as good as Chelsea – so we have to accept we are going to be under the cosh at certain times.

It’s vital that the lads don’t lose their focus in those instances. But equally that’s when the supporters can play their part.

Hopefully Turf Moor can be a fortress because it’s vital the fans get behind the team.

I’m sure they will make it a cauldron that the Clarets can thrive on, and intimidate the opposition.