Newcastle: 10 Things Pardew Should Be Applauded For
3. He Finished 5th
Back to that season again. But it is easy to forget how unexpected that was, and what an achievement it represents for a side who had been hemorrhaging their best players to the so-called top four and elsewhere. There were moments in that season where the football was fluent and the side played with a swagger reminiscent of Keegans side (the first time around). Or at least it was as close as weve got to those dizzy heights since Bobby Robson was shown the door. That the club didnt build on that success, that they let the prize of Europa League action turn into a curse rather than a blessing, that theyre now back to being as likely to struggle to stay up as they are to push for Europe shouldnt take away from the success of that season. Demba Bas hat trick at Stoke, beating Man. United (always an unexpected, but delicious, treat in a season), beating Liverpool at home. Alright, the lads got a howking off Fulham and Spurs, but they finished above Chelsea, and thats got to be worth a round of applause in anyones book. In fact, Cisses brace at Stamford Bridge was worth the price of admission on its own for that season. The glory is shifting away from Pards a little bit here... but they were both fantastic goals, werent they? And they happened whilst Pardew was manager, lest you forget.
