The 33-year-old former Burnley, Leyton Orient and Hibernian player said: "I love football.

"I came into the game relatively late in age so I have done the other side of it and had a real job so to speak. I'm a professional footballer because I love doing what I do and playing games is what I am here for.

"You get stuff out of training but playing in the games is what you really get excited about, so the busy period for me is really a positive.

"If you're winning games, you don't feel tired. It's amazing how your body reacts when you are not losing games, and then if you lose four or five games on the bounce all of a sudden you feel really tired.

"So that has to be our mindset going into it, we need to look after ourselves away from the football club. Eat the right things and rest and stay hydrated."