It was all over the newspapers yesterday - Pardew is now the longest-serving boss since the late Sir Bobby Robson - but the fizz on the champagne soon died away after the defeat to Fulham.
Graeme Souness, Glenn Roeder, Sam Allardyce, Kevin Keegan, Joe Kinnear, Alan Shearer and Chris Hughton have all come and gone since Robson’s departure.
And how long before Pardew goes arse-first through the exit doors at St James’s Park?
Yes we got into Europe last season, but Chris Hughton (enjoying a very successful campaign with Norwich City) might also have guided United into the Europa League had he been given the chance.
However, for whatever reason, this season has been a different story.
United have lacked the attacking fluency – and defensive solidity – that led to Pardew winning two manager trophies last term.
Pardew’s tactics and formations have come under scrutiny, but most supporters say the overriding reason behind the club’s dip in form is the lack of investment in the summer’s transfer window.
We lost out on two players - Douglas and Mathieu Debuchy - and we have to ask the question "would they have transformed our season?"
Pardew felt his younger players were ready to step up, but last week’s defeat in Bordeaux underlined that too much has been expected from them, too soon.
Many of them are simply not good enough, and the others are not ready.
It is the one BIG signing, Vurnon Anita, that concerns me most. He has been getting "interesting" reviews in his last three games (v Wigan, Bordeaux and Fulham), but I honestly don't know why.
He makes himself available, but shifts the ball at the earliest opportunity, usually the first touch - back to where it came from..
He hasn't the strength to make a big noise in the middle of the park, and gets swatted away like a fly by most of the Premiership's elite, and I honestly feel James Perch makes FAR more impact - if only for his though-tackling attitude.
We have to learn the golden rule in the Premiership - how NOT to get beat - before we start looking at the top four.
Anita could be a marvelous player in a good side, if someone does the graft for him.
Time will prove he can make it in our tough league, but until we get out of trouble, we need Perch in there to 'mix it'.
The Toon boss is said to be ready to sign a play-maker inthe next transfer window - but isn't that what Anita was signed to do - and will Ashley open his purse?
Pardew discovered shortly after joining the club, January transfer windows – like the club’s owner, Mike Ashley – are predictably unpredictable.
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NEWCASTLE UNITED FC 2012/13
Newcastle United Fixtures
Saturday December 15 12:45 Newcastle Utd v Manchester City
Saturday December 22 15:00 Newcastle United v QPR
Wednesday December 26 15:00 Man Utd v Newcastle United
Saturday December 29 17:30 Arsenal v Newcastle United
PREMIERSHIP
NEWCASTLE 3 WIGAN 0 (Ba 2 - 1 pen, Bigirimana)
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon (49' Ferguson), Marveaux, Tiote (46' Bigirimana) Anita, Gutierrez (75' Sammy Ameobi), Ba, Cisse
Subs: Harper, Shola Ameobi, Ranger, Tavernier
STOKE 2 NEWCASTLE 1 (Cisse)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Santon, Anita (87' Sammy Ameobi), Perch, Tiote, Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse (87' Ranger).
Subs: Elliot, Bigirimana, Marveaux, Ferguson, Tavernier
SOUTHAMPTON 2 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Simpson, S Taylor (90+1' Perch), Williamson, Santon, Anita (66' Marveaux), Tiote, Gutierrez, Ferguson (46' Sammy Ameobi), Ba, Cisse.
Subs: Harper, Bigirimana, Ranger, Tavernier
NEWCASTLE 1 SWANSEA 2 (Ba)
Krul, Simpson (74' Bigirimana), S Taylor, Williamson, Santon, Ben Arfa, Anita, Tiote, Ferguson (46' Shola Ameobi), Sammy Ameobi (79' Marveaux), Ba.
Subs: Elliot, Amalfitano, Tavernier,Abeid
NEWCASTLE 0 WEST HAM 1
Krul, Simpson (79' Obertan), Steven Taylor, Williamson, Santon, Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Gutierrez (24' Anita), Ferguson, Cisse (45+5' Shola Ameobi), Ba
Subs:Elliot, Amalfitano, Bigirimana, Marveaux.
LIVERPOOL 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Cabaye)
Krul, Anita, S Taylor, Coloccini, Santon, Perch (26' Simpson), Cabaye (68' Ferguson), Gutierrez, Ben Arfa, Cisse, Ba (49' Sammy Ameobi).
Subs: Harper, Williamson, Shola Ameobi, Obertan.
NEWCASTLE 2 WEST BROM 1 (Ba, Cisse)
Krul, Simpson (61 Cisse), Coloccini, Williamson, Santon, Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Perch, Gutierrez, Ba (72 Sammy Ameobi), Shola Ameobi (61 Obertan).
Subs: Harper, Anita, Steven Taylor, Ferguson.
SUNDERLAND 1 NEWCASTLE UTD 1 (Cabaye)
Krul,Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini (79' S Taylor) Santon, Gutierrez, Cabaye, Tiote, Ben Arfa (83' Obertan), Ba, Shola Ameobi (38' Perch).
Subs: Harper, Anita, Cisse, Ferguson
NEWCASTLE UTD 0 MAN UTD 3
Harper, Santon, Perch, Williamson, Ferguson (63' Anita), Ben Arfa, Tiote (80' Bigirimana), Cabaye, Gutierrez, Cisse (63' Shola Ameobi), Ba
Subs: Alnwick, Simpson, Obertan, Sammy Ameobi
READING 2 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ba 2)
Harper, Perch, Williamson, Steven Taylor (Tavernier 56), Santon, Ben Arfa, Tiote, Bigirimana (Ferguson 70), Gutierrez, Cisse (Shola Ameobi 69), Ba.
Subs not used: Elliot, Anita, Obertan, Sammy Ameobi.
NEWCASTLE 1 NORWICH 0 (Ba)
Harper, Perch, Williamson, Steven Taylor, Santon, Ben Arfa (Shola 85mins), Anita (Tiote 76 mins), Cabaye, Jonas, Cisse (Obertan 70 mins), Ba
Subs unused: Elliot, Tavernier, Bigirimana, Sammy Ameobi
EVERTON 2 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ba 2)
Harper; Perch, Williamson, Taylor, Santon; Anita, Cabaye (Bigirimana 93), Gutierrez; Marveaux (Ba 46), Ben Arfa; Cissé (Shola Ameobi 80).
Substitutes not used Elliot (g), Gosling, Obertan, Tavernier.
NEWCASTLE 1 ASTON VILLA 1 (Ben Arfa)
Krul, Simpson (Bigirimana 38), Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Santon, Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Anita, Gutierrez (Marveaux 86), Ba (Obertan 86), Cisse
Subs not used: Harper, Williamson, Gosling, Amalfitano
CHELSEA 2 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Simpson (Ryan Taylor 64), Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Santon (Marveaux 74), Ben Arfa, Anita, Cabaye (Perch 77), Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse
Subs not used: Harper, Williamson, Gosling, Obertan
NEWCASTLE 2 SPURS 1 (Ba, Ben Arfa pen)
Krul; Simpson, S Taylor, Perch, Santon; Ben Arfa, Cabaye (Anita, 71), Tiote, Gutierrez; Cisse, Ba (Obertan, 85). Subs not used: Harper; R Taylor, Williamson, Gosling, Amalfitano
EUROPA LEAGUE
BORDEAUX 2 NEWCASTLE 0
Elliot, Tavernier, Williamson (74' Coloccini), Perch, Ferguson, Abeid, Bigirimana, Ranger, Marveaux, Sammy Ameobi (46' Anita) Shola Ameobi (80' Cisse)
Subs: Krul, Simpson, Romain Amalfitano, Campbell
NEWCASTLE 1 MARITIMO 1
Krul, Simpson, S Taylor, Coloccini, Santon, Marveaux, Bigirimana, Anita, Sammy Ameobi (76' Abeid), Ben Arfa (40' Ba), Cisse (50' Amalfitano)
Subs: Elliot, Williamson, Ferguson, Tavernier'.
CLUB BRUGGE 2 NEWCASTLE 2 (Anita, Shola Ameobi)
Krul, Anita, Williamson (58' Steven Taylor), Coloccini, Tavernier, Tiote, Sammy Ameobi (83' Amalfitano), Marveaux, Bigirimana (72' Cabaye), Obertan, Shola Ameobi
Sub: Elliot, Santon, Cisse, Shane Ferguson
NEWCASTLE 1 CLUB BRUGGE 0 (Obertan)
Harper, Perch, Santon, Steven Taylor, Ferguson 80 (Cabaye), Obertan, Tiote, Bigirimana, Anita 46' (Shola Ameobi), Sammy Ameobi 73' (Coloccini), Cisse
Subs: Krul, Ben Arfa, Ba, Campbell
NEWCASTLE 3 BORDEAUX 0 (Shola Ameobi, Henrique og), Cisse)
Elliot (Harper, 46 ); Simpson, Williamson, Perch, Ferguson; Anita, Tiote (Gosling, 71), Cabaye (Bigirimana, 61); Cisse, Ameobi, Obertan.
MARITIMO 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Elliot, Santon, Williamson, Perch, S Taylor, Gosling, Amalfitano (Ferguson 76), Bigirimana, Obertan (Marveaux 80), Vuckic (Sami Ameobi 53), Shola Ameobi.
Subs (not used): Harper (gk), Tavernier, Abeid, Campbell
NEWCASTLE 1 ATROMITOS 0 (Vuckic)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Ryan Taylor (11 Vuckic), Obertan, Bigirimana, Perch (59 Tavernier), Marveaux (91 Amalfitano), Gosling, Ba.
Subs: Harper, Cabaye, Cisse, Campbell.
ATROMITOS 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (R Taylor)
Harper; Tavernier, Williamson, Perch, R Taylor; Bigirimana, Anita; Obertan, Gosling (Amalfitano, 64), Marveaux (Gutierrez, 71); Cisse (Campbell, 77). Subs not used: Krul, Santon, Cabaye, S Taylor.
LEAGUE CUP
MAN UTD 2 NEWCASTLE 1 (Cisse)
Elliot, Coloccini (Ferguson 61), Williamson, Perch, Tavernier, Gosling, Marveaux, Tioté (Bigirimana 71), Obertan, Vuckic (Cisse 81), Shola Ameobi.
Subs not used: Harper, Anita, Amalfitano, Sammy Ameobi.
PRE-SEASON
CARDIFF CITY 4 NEWCASTLE 1 (Shola Ameobi pen)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini (Williamson 46), Steven Taylor (Gosling 63), Santon, Obertan (Campbell 83), Tiote (Amalfitano 71) , Gutiérrez, Marveaux (Vuckic 46), R Taylor (Perch 28), Shola Ameobi.
HARTLEPOOL 1 NEWCASTLE 5 (Shola Ameobi, Marveaux 2, Obertan, Vuckic)
Harper (Alnwick 82), Simpson (Good 72), Tavernier, Williamson, S.Taylor (Vuckic 46), Perch (R.Taylor 72), Gosling, Amalfitano (Santon 80), Marveaux (Obertan 78), Sh.Ameobi (Ben Arfa 46), Bigirimana (Abeid 59).
DEN HAAG 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul; S Taylor (Gosling 65), R Taylor (Perch 71), Coloccini, Santon (Simpson 80); Obertan (Bigirimana 71), Tiote (Ameobi 71), Vuckic (Williamson 65), Gutierrez; Ba (Amalfitano 82), Cisse
BRAGA 1 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ba, R Taylor)
Harper; Simpson, Tavernier, Coloccini, R.Taylor; Sammy Ameobi (Obertan 88), Tiote (Cabaye 70), Gutierrez, Marveaux; Cisse, Ba (Vuckic 85).
OLYMPIACOS 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (S Taylor)
Krul, Perch, Williamson, S.Taylor (Dummett 46), Santon, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 72), Bigirimana, Gosling (Abeid 36), Amalfitano, Vuckic, Shola Ameobi (Cisse 72).
FENERBAHCE 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Abeid)
Elliot, Simpson (Santon 68), Tavernier, Coloccini, R Taylor, Tiote (Bigirimana 59), Gosling (Abeid 73), Obertan (Shola Ameobi 75), Marveuax (Gutierrez 59), Vuckic (Sammy Ameobi 46), Ba (Cisse 68).
MONACO 0 NEWCASTLE 1 (Ba)
Harper, Santon (Ryan Taylor 57), Simpson, Williamson (Perch 46), Gutierrez, Amalfitano (Obertan 62), Abeid (Tavernier 46), Bigirimana (Tiote 62), Sammy Ameobi (Vuckic 46), Shola Ameobi (Gosling 62), Ba (Marveaux 78)
CHEMNITZER 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Elliot; Tavernier (Simpson, 70), Williamson, Perch, R Taylor (Santon, 70); Obertan (Gutierrez, 77), Abeid (Bigirimana, 70), Gosling, Amalfitano; Vuckic (Shola Ameobi, 70), Sammy Ameobi (Ba, 77). Sub not used: Harper.