Gordon Strachan wants more Middlesbrough signings

Strachan has ruled out automatic promotion back to the Premier League for his Boro side

Middlesbrough boss Gordon Strachan believes his squad requires further strengthening if they are to mount a promotion bid this season.

Strachan made seven new signings during the January transfer window, but feels there are still gaps to fill if Boro are to compete in the Championship.

He told BBC Radio Tees: "It was imperative to bring people in.

"And if we add a couple of loan signings, then we can be good enough for the play-offs."

During January Strachan signed Celtic quintet, Scott McDonald, Willo Flood, Barry Robson, Chris Killen and Stephen McManus.

Aberdeen striker Lee Miller and Tottenham full-back Kyle Naughton also arrived at the Riverside.

At the same time Strachan moved on Mohammed Shawky and Mark Yeates, while Adam Johnson was signed by Premier League side Manchester City.

The Teessiders were relegated from the top flight at the end of last season, ending a 10-year stay which took in Carling Cup victories at Cardiff and a Uefa Cup final appearance in Eindhoven.

During that decade Middlesbrough supporters enjoyed watching players such as Juninho, Alen Boksic and Mark Viduka, but Strachan, who took over in October 2009, says they need to be realistic about the club's future transfer policy.

There was a period where players were hoping to come to Middlesbrough just for the wages, and not committing as much as you would think they should

Gordon Strachan

"I think it's going to be a different programme for Middlesbrough now. I think the days of the £11m signings and big wage packets are over," he said.

"It's not so much the transfer fees, it's the wages that kill you.

"We've had a lot of terrific players here, I look at the pictures around the training ground and we've had a lot of unbelievably good players here, but there was a period where players were hoping to come to Middlesbrough just for the wages, and not committing as much as you would think they should.

"It seemed like a nice stopping-off point for a lot of wages, and I hope we get past that again so everybody thinks they love being here for one reason or another."