Last summer the Newcastle boss promised "three marquee signings", and even on the last day of the transfer window we was convinced Mike Ashley would open the biscuit tin.
It didn't happen - and many in the local press predicted it wouldn't happen.
Nobody REALLY knows Ashley and his weird unorthodox ways, not even those close to him.
He is a crank, a self-centred diva bordering on idiocy, and how the hell does Pardew claim he knows what his 'master' will do in the next five minutes ... never mind in January?
The club is braced for transfer-window bids for players, with Yohan Cabaye already with his foot out of the door.
But Pardew says owner Mike Ashley isn’t looking for United to offload anyone in the New Year.
Pardew: “At the minute, we’re under no pressure for anyone to leave.
“We have no financial restrictions from Mike, so we’re in good shape.
“Sometimes you lose a player ... look at when we lost Andy Carroll.
“He was 22 years old and playing for England. He was a young player from the city, but we’re done brilliantly with that money.
“It was a brilliant sale for us. That money’s been used to strengthen the group and bring in quality players.
“We might need to do that again. We might have to do that to get where we want to go. We have to accept that."
Suggesting Ashley, once again, will NOT be topping up the transfer money.
In Pardew's three years at the club he has spent £59,100,000 on players ... and brought in £60,850,000.
More or less even.
And it seems we will continue to work under the principle - we sell before we buy.