Ryan Taylor has signed a contract extension that will keep him at St James’ Park until 2015 ... after Pardew originally didn't want to play him in the first team!
Pardew went on record as saying last August: "I hope Ryan doesn't play against Sunderland", but he has changed his mind since.
Taylor has gone from bit-part player to key figure since scoring the only goal in August’s Wear-Tyne derby, playing at left-back, right and central midfield.
Alan Pardew: “He had to prove himself to me.
“I saw him in the summer on holiday and he mentioned it was the last year of his contract.
“He said he really hoped he had a good season.
“I thought, ‘I hope you do too, We’ll see how it goes, it’s not likely’.
“I didn’t say that at the time. But he couldn’t have played better than he has.
“That’s what is important for all the players here – to put in a fantastic season and earn a contract.
“Tim Krul, Colo (Fabricio Coloccini) and Ryan Taylor have done that.
“If we achieve what is in front of us with the possibility of going into Europe, he will be indispensable.
“He isn’t a Hollywood signing. To us he is very important and technically a great player. I can play him more or less anywhere and he will do a really good, technical job.
“At a football club the size of this you’ve got to know when they pull on the shirt, they can play to the best of their ability.
"Sometimes you can say, ‘Let’s get somebody who is better than Ryan,’ but it doesn’t mean he can play to Ryan’s level because the shirt carries a certain amount of pressure.”