'We get paid for playing a sport we all love' - Friars

Friars along with everyone on John Gregg's playing and back-room staff took a percentage reduction in their wages, but the one time Liverpool starlet believes Institute Football Club's survival is more important.

"At the end of the day we are getting paid for playing a sport we all love, so we didn't mind taking a wage cut," he said.

"There are people out there who are losing jobs and I know quite a few people who would love to be in our situation.

"Regardless of us taking a wage cut the bigger picture that the club survives has to be more important."

The 30-year-old also believes the IFA should maybe look both at Serie A and the Spanish La Liga and introduce a winter break.

Not for the first time the Carling Premiership has been affected by the wintry weather conditions up and down the province and the former Derry City player thinks a two-week break during the winter could solve the problem.

"Obviously everyone is gutted that the matches have been postponed but we all know there is nothing anyone could do because of the freezing weather.

"Maybe, because we always seem to have bad weather at this time of year then a break, which they have in other leagues is something the IFA might look at, but to be honest who am I to tell the IFA what to do," joked Friars.

"What I do know is that it's frustrating as a player that you get prepared all week at training and get yourself up for a game, then it's called off because of the weather, but then all clubs have been affected."

The ex-Newry City man seems to be getting back to his best and admits the enforced break wasn't what he and his team-mates wanted at Drumahoe and he is looking forward to returning to action.

"As I have already said we were disappointed that the games over Christmas were called off because we got a great result at Glenavon and we were all buzzing for the Lisburn Distillery, Newry City and Dungannon Swifts matches.

"We know that if we could have won those matches it would have put some daylight between ourselves and Distillery and also closed the gap on Newry, but it wasn't to be, so we need to focus on the Portadown game now.

"However the way the weather has been I won't be shocked if we are off again this Saturday."

The terrible weather has also meant that Institute have only been able to train once in the past while, and even that session was held indoors at Bready Cricket Club's state of the art facility, but, according to Friars, it went well.

"The session was very good and all the players were using their new trainers which Santa brought them.

"After it we had a good chat and I know that myself and all the players are raring to go, so hopefully this terrible weather will be behind us and we can get back out playing."