WEST BROMWICH, United Kingdom – Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew thanked club owner Mike Ashley for standing by him after the Magpies recorded their fifth straight win.
Ayoze Perez's delightful backheel and Fabricio Coloccini's header saw Newcastle enjoy a 2-0 victory away to West Bromwich Albion on Sunday that sent the north-east side soaring into the top eight of the Premier League.
Just two months ago, with fans demanding Pardew be sacked, Ashley was quoted by Britain's Independent newspaper as saying that if Newcastle loss at Stoke then the manager would be on his way out of St James' Park.
However, Ashley's lawyers insisted he had been joking and Pardew said the Newcastle owner's continued support had been invaluable.
“Everyone was pulling at him when we weren't winning and he stuck with me and was very supportive, especially after the Southampton game (a 4-0 defeat). You have to have that as a manager. It bought me just enough time,” Pardew explained.
“I particularly want to thank my staff. You need them to be loyal, especially when you are under fire. They trusted me and I feel the rewards and so do they.”
Perez's goal was his third in as many games and Pardew said: “He was courted by some big clubs, in particular Porto, and Porto don't sign anyone unless they are a good player.
“That underlined what we have seen and he has been a great buy for us,” Pardew added of a forward signed by Newcastle from Spanish side Tenerife in pre-season.
“He genuinely loved the way we were so determined to bring him and 54,000 Geordies every week, the third-biggest supported club in the country is a big magnet.
“He was highly regarded. We worked hard to bring him to the club. We thought his physicality could be an issue but he has such technical quality you hope it will see you through and it has.
“That goal was worthy of winning any game. It is difficult to play him on his own but he really worked hard.”
By contrast, West Brom's Saido Berahino failed to score just days after earning his first call-up to the senior England squad
Berahino was denied once by Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul in the first half but faded as the match went on.
“He probably had his poorest game but people have poor games,” said West Brom boss Alan Irvine.
“Everybody, including myself, will probably go away asking 'Is it because of what has just happened to him during the week?'
“But of course you can have a poor game any time.
“Give Newcastle credit, we probably didn't play as well as we needed to do.” – Sapa-AFP