Despite comments in the Sunday Sun recently with the Toon boss suggesting "qualifying for Europe may not be a good thing for this club" ... he came clean today.
Yes, it was all BOLLOX!
Alan Pardew: "A top four finish? I have never actually ruled it out.
"You guys kept saying to me, 'Are you going to make the Champions League?', and I said we were just looking to win the next game.
"But look, it's not gone unnoticed.
"This week could be important for us because if the [FA Cup] semi-final results go our way, we could be in Europe, I think, by next weekend.
"If that works in our favour, then really, really there is nothing left to go for but the Champions League.
"That's important to us, the semi-finals, we will be looking at them because we are up against Chelsea for that Europa League place if the results go against us, and that's still very, very tough on us.
"To have this points total and not make Europe would be tough to take, so we have got to keep our eye on the ball, and we ain't giving up on anything - apart from winning it."