Alan Pardew's highs and lows: Looking back at the ex-Newcastle manager's time in the north-east

Alan Pardew’s four years as Newcastle United boss have come to an end.

As the 53-year-old completes his switch to Crystal Palace, we take a look at the highs and lows of his eventful time in the north-east...

HIGHS

Success in 2011/12
Pardew’s first full season in charge at Newcastle was by far his most successful. The club made its best start to a Premier League campaign in 17 years and went unbeaten in the first 11 games of the season in all competitions. Papiss Cisse arrived in January and scored 13 in 14 games to help fire Newcastle to a fifth-place finish, ahead of Chelsea, Everton and Liverpool. Pardew became the first Newcastle manager to be awarded the Premier League Manager of the Season prize and the first Englishman to add the LMA Manager of the Year trophy to that award in the same season. 

Europa League challenge
Newcastle qualified for the Europa League on the back of their impressive 2011/12 campaign and went all the way to the quarter-finals before falling to eventual runners-up Benfica. Cisse’s 93rd-minute winner against Samuel Eto'o's Anzhi Makhachkala was one of several thrilling moments in Newcastle's European adventure. "I'm proud of this whole run," said Pardew.

Fightback against Arsenal
With 10 minutes on the clock, Newcastle were 3-0 down at home to title-hopefuls Arsenal in February 2011. When Robin van Persie headed in the visitors’ fourth on 26 minutes, boos rang out around St James’ Park. Pardew had only been in the job a couple of months but a run of four games without a win – including an FA Cup defeat at League Two Stevenage – had piled the pressure on the new boss. However, what was to follow goes down as one of the greatest comebacks seen in the Premier League era. With Abou Diaby dismissed five minutes after the break, two Joey Barton penalties, a Leon Best strike and Cheick Tiote's drive three minutes from time secured a remarkable turnaround.  

Eight-year deal
Pardew had originally been awarded a five-and-a-half year contract at Newcastle but Mike Ashley, Newcastle's owner, moved to extend that deal in the wake of the club’s impressive 2011/12 season, and the manager put pen to paper on his extension in September 2012. "If you look at clubs like Manchester United and Arsenal, Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger have shown that stability gives you the best platform to achieve success and that is the model we wish to emulate here," managing director Derek Llambias said at the time. Pardew was English football's second-longest serving manager before his Newcastle departure.

Silencing his critics
After failing to pick up a win in the first seven games of the current campaign, the pressure was well and truly on Pardew. Newcastle were languishing in the relegation zone and the St James' Park faithful were calling for him to be relieved of his duties. However, a 1-0 win over Leicester City sparked a remarkable six-game winning streak in all competitions, including triumphs at Tottenham and Manchester City and a 1-0 success at home to Liverpool. West Ham and then Burnley halted the streak but Newcastle's 2-1 win over Chelsea - the Blues' first defeat in any competition - at the start of December lifted Newcastle to seventh spot.

LOWS

Failure in the cup