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Under-pressure Newcastle boss Alan Pardew would only receive a pay-off in the region of 12 months’ wages if he was to leave St James’ Park despite his eight-year contract, Sunday People Sport understands.

Pardew signed the long contract in September after last season’s heroics and the club – which has seen plenty of managers in recent years – wanted to reward him and signal stability.

But it is believed there is a fixed departure fee should Pardew leave Newcastle for any reason – and this is understood to be for a year’s pay.

Nobody would be happier than owner Mike Ashley and his managing director Derek Llambias if Pardew was still at St James’ Park when his extended contract expires in 2020 – because it would mean Pardew had brought success and the Toon’s near 50-year wait for a trophy was over.

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However, given the Premier League managerial merry-go-round, and the fact that Newcastle have had to make big pay-outs to former managers including Sam Allardyce and Graeme Souness, the club could not countenance paying Pardew eight years’ wages and bonuses should he leave.

In his time on Tyneside, Souness famously declared said that any Newcastle manager is never more than two games away from the sack.Pardew holds the Premier League Manager of the Year and the LMA Manager of the Year awards after he guided Newcastle to an excellent first full season in his charge.

But Newcastle’s recent terrible form has seen him under real pressure for the first time in his two years at St James’ Park.

Newcastle have not won away from home in any competition this season – and their next two games are at Manchester United on Boxing Day and Arsenal at the Emirates on Saturday night.

But, whatever the future holds, Pardew can certainly enjoy his Christmas lunch a bit more after their 1-0 home win over QPR yesterday.