It may have been nine years since Marcus Bean left Brentford but the 37-year-old can be credited with playing a part in the west London club's rise to the Premier League. 

He spent five years with the Bees, making 167 appearances in total, and helped them secure promotion from League Two before establishing themselves in the third tier.

Bean was released at the end of the 2011/12 campaign and we won't need to remind you how Brentford have progressed in the decade since – their Premier League status speaks for itself.

The midfielder, meanwhile, spent two years at Colchester United after leaving Griffin Park and then joined Wycombe Wanderers for a four-year stint that brought more than 100 appearances and another promotion to League One.

Bean announced his retirement in July 2019 but that was not the end of his career in football, instead he would extend it by returning to west London.

The 37-year-old became a consultant scout at Brentford in the summer of 2019 and two years later was named the club's head of emerging talent.

He has also been head of partnerships at Cred Investments since August 2019 and has a role in global business development with TOCA Football UK.

It's his position at Brentford that will interest fans of the club most, however, as Bean's work could help to shape the future of the club by aiding the development of the next generation of players.

There's no denying that he's played his part in the Bees' progression in the modern era both on and off the field.