McClaren, who spent five years at the Riverside Stadium and brought the club its first major trophy before taking charge of the national side, believes the Teessiders will mount a serious promotion charge.

However, he knows they will face stiff competition as they attempt to secure an immediate return to the Barclays Premier League.

He told BBC Radio Tees: "They will be up there challenging, but I do know the Championship and looking at every year, it seems to be getting stronger and stronger with more teams capable of getting promotion to the Premier League.

"But once you go down, it is very difficult to get back up. You have to do it, I think, in the first year - if not, the second - otherwise you will sink, as many other clubs have done.

"It has shown that with Charlton and Southampton. It's very, very difficult.

"There is a lot of pressure and there are a lot of teams capable. It's a different league and that is going to be the strange thing for Middlesbrough.

"They have been in the Premier League for so many years, so they will find it very, very strange in the Championship."