Jan Poortvliet knows Saturday’s visit of Bristol City is the time for Saints to end their horrific run of form on live television.

Sky will broadcast the Championship clash, which will come as a concern to many Saints fans.

Poortvliet’s men have lost all three of their televised games this season, 1-0 at home to Blackpool and 4-1 away to both QPR and Coventry.

But Saints’ tale of woe in front of the television camera extends much further back than the arrival of the Dutchman and his new set-up.

Since being relegated from the Premiership, Saints have been shown live on television 23 times in all competitions.

However, they have won just five of those matches.

Their record in live Championship games is dismal, winning just three of 17 encounters.

Saints’ head coach believes it is about time his side improved on that.

“We have two challenges on Saturday, one to win at home and one to win in front of the television,” he said.

“We have a big challenge and we will try to do that.

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“I hope the boys will be in very good shape.”

Poortvliet said all talk of Saints’ TV nightmares can end with one good display against the Robins.

He rejects any argument his young squad are fazed by their games being screened live, as there are cameras at every match anyway.

“I can’t imagine that, because there’s always television there, so you always see the mistakes you make for goals, so for me there’s no change,” he said.

“But we can end this with one result and let’s hope it’s this Saturday.”

After last weekend’s incredible comeback win at Preston, Poortvliet said the squad should have new belief.

He also thinks they are a stronger team for turning that game around from a seemingly impossible position at 2-0 down with 24 minutes left.

“I believe in this group and we are stronger now than we were before,” he said.

“It is very good to win the way we did, coming back from 2-0, but we have got to go on now and believe in it.

“It has to give some impulse.

“You have some wins and then you have other wins.

“There is a normal win, like Doncaster and Derby away, which were very good, but this has extra significance, being 2-0 down at half-time.

“It’s given the boys a big morale boost, because it was almost over, but we deserved to win.”

And Poortvliet said he is confident ahead of Saturday’s match.

“I’m optimistic and I know the boys can do it,”

he said. “They will go for it.”

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