GORDON STRACHAN has endured a difficult start to life on Teesside, but Barry Robson insists his former Celtic manager will soon have Middlesbrough motoring back up the Championship table.

Saturday’s defeat at Sheffield United has left Strachan with only two victories in his first 12 matches at the Riverside Stadium.

It is a dreadful run of form which has seen Middlesbrough drop out of contention for an automatic promotion place. More worryingly, they now sit six points adrift of the final playoff spot ahead of this weekend’s visit from Swansea.

Criticism of Strachan has grown in recent weeks among supporters, but Robson thinks it is unfair for his boss to be judged on an opening few months in which his moves in the transfer market have been restricted.

Robson was part of Strachan’s first permanent transfer deal last week when he moved from Celtic, along with Chris Killen and Willo Flood.

All three made their debuts at Bramall Lane on Saturday, but the 31-year-old midfielder expects further new faces to arrive at Middlesbrough before February 1.

“It happens that new managers come in, have different ideas, they like things done their way, so they can endure difficult starts,” Robson said.

“They like some players, they don’t like some players.

I found that up at Celtic when Tony Mowbray came in, the same thing.

“I know how it works. Believe me, when the manager here starts to get his players in, along with those players here that are really good, you will see us rise up the table.

“If you look at the game on Saturday, it was not as if the players weren’t working hard for each other, we all were. There was nothing in the game.”

With QPR winger Wayne Routledge in Strachan’s sights, along with the likes of Kevin Phillips, Kris Boyd and Scott McDonald, Middlesbrough would hope to have plenty new recruits before the transfer window closes.

Strachan’s transfer budget was boosted by £500,000 yesterday when he completed the sale of Mark Yeates to Sheffield United. Yeates made only 17 appearances for Boro after signing from Colchester in the summer.

There is still a chance that Egyptian striker Mido could be sold this month too, with Hull City and Ajax interested in ending his season-long loan with Zamalek early.

The 26-year-old, who has been offered through his agent to Newcastle and Sunderland, would prefer to move to Amsterdam. He said: “I’m 90 per cent certain that I will leave Zamalek before the closure of the transfer window.”

■ Tickets are on sale for Boro’s home games with Swansea, on Saturday, and Bristol City, on January 30.

Tickets which were bought for the original date with Swansea, which was postponed, remain valid, while fans unable to attend who bought tickets for that game can claim a refund up to 5pm on Friday.

Prices for both matches start between £14 and £21 for Boro Pride members and start between £13 and £23 when bought on general sale.

Tickets are also on sale for the trip to Doncaster on Tuesday, with 650 of Boro’s 2,200 allocation at the Keepmoat sold. Prices for that match range from £10 to £23.