... their aim was 10th place in the Premier League.
Pardew has added since: "My aim this season is to get ahead of Manchester United."
Any other campaign, those words would have meant something.
But Man Utd's dire season sank to a new low as Liverpool won 3-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Newcastle are five points behind the Mancs, but with two home games coming up ... you never know.
Steven Gerrard scored twice from the penalty spot and Luis Suarez netted his 25th goal of the season to complete a win which underlined the huge gulf in quality between the two sides.
Gerrard converted from 12 yards after Rafael handled the ball and the Liverpool captain scored again from the spot when Phil Jones knocked over Joe Allen after the restart.
The England skipper would have scored Liverpool's first hat-trick at Old Trafford since 1936 if his third penalty had not hit a post after a foul was awarded against Nemanja Vidic for a challenge on Daniel Sturridge.
Vidic was sent off for the tackle - the fourth time he has been dismissed against Liverpool.
Suarez then rounded off the rout near the end with a well-taken finish with his new WOOLEN boots.
The scoreline did not flatter Liverpool at all. They thoroughly deserved it.
Shouts of 'ole' rang out as the Reds played keep ball while United tried to chase it down.
1 Chelsea 66
2 Liverpool 62
3 Arsenal 62
4 Man City 60
5 Tottenham 53
6 Everton 51
7 Man Utd 48
8 Southampton 45
9 Newcastle 43
10 A Villa 34
11 Stoke City 34
12 West Ham 31
13 Hull City 30
14 Swansea 29
15 Norwich 29
16 West Brom 28
17 C Palace 28
18 Sunderland 25
19 Cardiff 25
20 Fulham 24