David Jeffrey says it is “110 per cent” right and proper that the Irish League be put into lockdown over the Christmas period to combat rising Covid-19 figures.
A decision to ban all sport in Northern Ireland for a week from December 26 means two rounds of fixtures on Boxing Day and December 29 are postponed.
It is anticipated players will be permitted to train during the affected period, meaning the Danske Bank Premiership can return on January 2.
This weekend’s games, which included a 4-0 win over Linfield and 1-1 draw between Ballymena United and Glentoran at the Showgrounds, were the last fixtures of 2020.
Veteran Ballymena boss Jeffrey said: “The reality is this is deemed to be the correct thing to do and we are 110 per cent behind it.
“I think we need to be sensible and stay safe to get through this and please God it won’t be too long before we’re back playing again.”
With a question hanging over the Irish Cup on January 9 - a majority of clubs in the first round aren’t designated as ‘elite’ - it has been mooted the calendar be amended to accommodate league fixtures on that date.
Crusaders boss Stephen Baxter said: “We should move the Boxing Day fixtures to January 9 - but it’s very important, if they are, those dates are firmed up quickly.”
Meanwhile, Jeffrey has applauded the support of the 500 Ballymena fans who attended Saturday’s share of the spoils with Glentoran.
The Braid club has been operating either with a severely restricted capacity or behind closed doors during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The support of 500 people inside the stadium was absolutely amazing and I want to thank them - it was absolutely phenomenal,” said Jeffrey
“They know we’re going through difficult times but they were such an encouragement.
“An immense amount of work, led by our Covid officer Iain Black, has gone into making sure everything has been done according to the regulations.
“We wanted to make it as enjoyable an experience as possible for those supporters at the game and their support throughout was much appreciated.”
NEXT SCHEDULED FIXTURES: Saturday, January 2 –
Coleraine v Carrick Rangers, Crusaders v Warrenpoint Town, Dungannon Swifts v Cliftonville, Glenavon v Linfield, Larne v Ballymena United, Glentoran v Portadown.
