Pardew disturbed to be fourth long-serving boss

Pardew will celebrate four years in charge of Newcastle United next week, with only Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger having been at the helm longer in the Premier League.

Exeter City's Paul Tisdale and Karl Robinson at MK Dons are the only other managers to have been in their posts longer than Pardew in the top four tiers of the English game.

The Londoner has expressed his pride at remaining in the role for as long as he has, but believes it is a sad state of a affairs that so few managers are given the backing that he has had from Mike Ashley.

"It's credit to the chairman, and credit to me. I’ve had to dig in a few times, and so has he. Sometimes his flag is up the pole and sometimes it’s mine," said Pardew.

"I think we both knew that when we signed that long contract, there were going to be difficult days as well as good days, for us both.

"I'm quite pleased at four years, and to give some sort of history, this is probably the third team I've had in terms of a different look: The one I inherited, the one I had, and now this new one. I’m quite excited that it’s got a different sort of look to it and different strengths.

"I am fourth in the 92, which is very disturbing. That isn't a good stat at all. I’m not sure if it will change.

"I don't think any Premier League managers have left this year, which is unusual. So it is beginning to stabilise a little bit, but I might be speaking too soon.

"Certainly the Championship is a bigger worry at the moment where I think nine months is the average tenure. I don't how long it takes you to know your job, but nine months is certainly not long enough for a coach to know a football team or a football club."