Albion have lost their way at the Amex.

But they have a platform to put that right in the next few weeks.

Four of the next six Championship fixtures are at home, beginning with Middlesbrough's visit tomorrow.

They provide an opportunity for Sami Hyypia's team to boost both the points tally and attendances.

Results have not so far reflected generally upbeat performances and atmospheres at the Amex.

Hyypia, like Oscar Garcia and Gus Poyet, makes no distinction between the way he sets the side up home and away.

There is nothing wrong with that and it could be argued it does not really matter where points are accumulated.

Except that 95 per cent of supporters only see their team playing at home and Albion are not making that home advantage count.

Five points from six away games is respectable, bearing in mind the opponents Albion have faced.

Ipswich, Nottingham Forest and Watford are all in the top six. It is also rarely easy to take all three points from Leeds at Elland Road.

Albion only really let themselves down at Birmingham and in a cavalier performance at Brentford, who are nevertheless strong at home.

The Seagulls have also negotiated awkward Capital One Cup ties at Swindon and Burton Albion to set up a trip to Spurs in the last 16.

The home form, using the same criteria, is much more disappointing. Six points from five games against seventh-placed Charlton, ninth-placed Sheffield Wednesday, bottom club Bolton, next-to-bottom Blackpool and mid-table Cardiff is well below-par.

The only defeat came on the opening day, against Sheffield, but the only victory was against Bolton.

Albion's Amex woes are not confined to the current campaign. The decline can be traced back to mid-March.

The home form deteriorated significantly under Oscar Garcia after a run of six wins, four draws and only one defeat.

Albion won only two and lost three of the last six home games, including the defeat by Derby County in the play-offs.

They squeezed into the top six primarily due to a closing away sequence of four victories, three draws and just one reverse.

Three wins in the last 12 outings at the Amex at Championship level is a meagre return.

Attendances were not adversely affected towards the end of last season, the home form issue camouflaged by the challenge for the play-offs.

Early results this time around have been a contributing factor to falling gates.

The crowd for Hyypia's first game in charge against Sheffield Wednesday on the opening day of the season, helped by a healthy away following, was almost 30,000.

Three of the other four Championship attendances have slipped beneath last season's low of 25,725, coincidentally against Sheffield Wednesday on a Tuesday night in October when Oscar's side were 12th.

The Saturday league crowds last season never dipped below 26,000. The figures against Bolton and Blackpool were around the 24,500 mark.

Taking into account away supporters, Albion's share of the attendance fell from 27,266 against Sheffield Wednesday to 23,290 for Cardiff's midweek visit last time out.

Albion's crowds are still extraordinarily good in the context of the Championship, even more so in the context of the club's recent multi-home history.

The slippage is, nevertheless, a concern in this era of Financial Fair Play. Every fan counts.

It could soon be rectified if Hyypia's Albion produce positive results against Middlesbrough, Rotherham, Wigan and Blackburn.

The benefit will be twofold. They will climb the table and put bums back on seats.

Next six Championship games Middlesbrough (h) October 18 Huddersfield (a) October 21 Rotherham (h) October 25 Bournemouth (a) November 1 Wigan (h) November 4 Blackburn (h) November 8