MIDDLESBROUGH have forgotten what it is like to have a 3pm kick-off on a Saturday afternoon - and manager Steve McClaren admits it is affecting attendances.

Boro host Portsmouth at the Riverside Stadium today and the 5.15pm start, plus the fact that it is being screened live on Sky's Premiership Plus, means the club are expecting their lowest league crowd of the season so far.

That means that for the fifth time in six home matches Boro will have less than 30,000 inside their stadium watching them in action - despite enjoying the most successful two years in the club's history.

Boro are yet to have a 3pm start at the Riverside on a Saturday this season and are only pencilled in for one, against West Brom on November 26, before Christmas.

And McClaren, aware that there could be fewer than 26,000 at the Riverside to watch the Portsmouth match, said: "It's disruptive to the planning. Players always want full houses and a great atmosphere and of course when you have got that the games are so much better.

"The kick-off times are what we have to deal with. But I always say football is a live sport and nothing beats being at the games and watching the team through thick and thin. Nothing beats being at the event."

The trend for people to go to the pub or stay at home and watch matches unfold from the comfort of their own armchair is growing across the country.

But McClaren is of the belief fans will flock back to the Riverside if his side entertain and climb up the Premiership table.

"I'm sure once the season develops and the bigger games come along that attendances will go up," said McClaren, knowing just over 28,000 turned out to watch Arsenal on Teesside last month.

"I don't suppose our attendance will be too much against Portsmouth - but Sky pay you compensation for that, it's expected. But we are professional and we have to go out and perform anyway. We have to try to win for the people who are there.

"Home form is very important. We have shown we can be very effective away from home but it's the home form which is the bread and butter. We need to start doing it for the fans more than anyone else. We have a responsibility to lift the crowd and there have been a couple of occasions we have not done that."

McClaren confirmed that Steve Round has been promoted to assistant manager after proving himself as a coach at the club.

The whole coaching staff have been presented with new contracts and McClaren - still to pen his own agreed new deal - indicated they are all well worth them. "They have all done fantastic jobs for me," he said.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.