1. Alan Pardew
Manager Alan Pardew has to shoulder at least some of the blame for a shocking season at St James' Park. Yes, he has been unfortunate in part this season and there have been some extenuating circumstances outside of his control that have led to Newcastle's decline, such as injuries to key individuals, and the situation regarding Fabricio Coloccini and Demba Ba, but the fact remains that this season has been one of regression under the Englishman. Whether it's because he operated with negative (too negative, in some people's eyes) tactics, brought in the wrong players, or his reluctance (or inability) to get his players playing with the same attacking verve as they did last season, you can't help but point the finger of blame in his direction. Back in January, Pardew was
odds-on to get the sack, and perhaps he should have done. Relegation rivals Southampton and even Sunderland have demonstrated in recent times that a change of manager and direction can be a good thing, with Mauricio Pochettino and Paolo di Canio doing fantastic jobs respectively in guiding their clubs away from the relegation trap door. Newcastle, by contrast, continue to suffer.