MIDDLESBROUGH'S most expensive summer recruit wants to help deliver manager Gareth Southgate's pledge of attractive football this season in an attempt to bring disaffected supporters back to the Riverside Stadium.

The 12-year-old venue boasted an average of around 32,000 four years ago but attracted a Premier League low of 22,920 for Boro's last home fixture - a 2-0 victory over Birmingham City.

It was a win achieved in emphatic fashion, with arguably the finest performance under Southgate seeing off City on September 1.

There were genuine hopes on Teesside that such a performance would increase the chances of convincing more than 30,000 to fill the stadium for this Saturday's visit of Sunderland.

But the 3-0 defeat at West Ham United could have damaged the chances of that happening, although Woodgate is hopeful such a result should not have affected their pulling power.

And the £7m purchase from Real Madrid accepts that juggling paying Premier League wages while trying to keep ticket prices affordable is a difficult balancing act for chairman Steve Gibson.

"We have to play good football for the fans to come in but don't forget it's not cheap. Hopefully we can bring some more fans in by the type of football we play," said Woodgate.

"Against Birmingham there were 23,000 fans in and that's probably because we hadn't been playing well before it. We played well against Birmingham so hopefully they will come back.

"It's expensive, like most places in the country. Hopefully we can get the fans in and they will start coming back in their droves. I don't know the going rate these days but it must be expensive for tickets so that clubs can pay the players.

"If it wasn't expensive the club wouldn't be able to afford the top players. It's a difficult situation to be in and it must be hard for the chairman to get all his prices sorted for the fans."

Southgate spent £23m during the last transfer window on reshaping his squad, with the likes of Woodgate, Mido, Gary O'Neil, Luke Young and Jeremie Aliadiere accounting for a large percentage of that.

And, even though £11.25m was recouped by the sale of Ayegbeni Yakubu, that was more than Southgate expected to have available.

There is now, however, a determination to ensure those who have been drafted in will gel and push Boro into the top half of the table.

And Woodgate wants to see a return to winning ways as quickly as possible.

"We're playing a lot better than we did last year, that's a fact and I think most would agree," said the 27-year-old.

"I'm sure the consistency will come, we're a young team don't forget.

"The best way to play football is to try to keep the ball. Our manager doesn't want to start kicking the ball long all the time.

"In the first half at West Ham we played well and had chances. But full credit to them, they took their chances. Football is about taking your chances and West Ham did that."