It seems that Alan Pardew has past the point of no return with quite a large percentage of NUFC fans.

The fifth place finish last season has long been forgotten, after all it doesn’t help us this season where we are still yet to secure our top flight status for next season.

From experience, once anyone involved with United has the fans against them then the writing is usually on the wall and they tend not to last too long.

Sporadic good results may temper the frustration in the interim but generally speaking patience wears thinner and thinner as time goes on and each time it takes less and less for fans to get back into the train of thought of wanting whoever it is they want out of of the door.

This is not to say that I think he deserves the sack. I’m not in the “Pardew out” camp just yet, but just because I’m not calling for him to be booted it doesn’t mean that I’m happy about things. I too can see mistakes that are being made (in my opinion) and I can also see that our football isn’t exactly great (understatement) at the moment.

However we are struggling, for whatever reason you wish to pick, and the pressure is on us. Pressure doesn’t lend itself to fast-flowing pretty football like we saw at the tail end of last season. Not this kind of pressure anyway… Instead battling and getting us “over the line” is what is most important.

Pardew has taken some flak for suggesting that avoiding relegation will do for the season given where we are now. I don’t disagree with that and don’t see the problem if truth be told. Disappointing as it is, it’s all we have left to go for in reality and is the difference between 17th and, say 15th, really anything to be bragging about anyway?

Not for me it isn’t…

So it’s been a horrible season and lets say the popular wish is granted and Pardew does get the boot. Who do you replace with him? This is not YOUR choice, it is Mike Ashley’s choice, so try and put yourself in his shoes before rattling off managerial names like staccato bursts of gunfire.

I’m sure there will be someone out there willing to try their hand at managing Newcastle United, but that someone must also be happy with how the club is setup these days. They must be happy with the policies we have in place and must realise that we won’t just throw money at things. They must also make do with having decisions made about their team above their heads and must be willing to not have full control over things. Oh and don’t forget that Alan Pardew is currently the lowest paid manager in the Premier League so I doubt very much that a large pay-check would be guaranteed either…

Like I said, I’m sure there is someone out there who fits the bill perfectly, but realistically the options are a lot narrower than people think. Remember, Pardew himself was plucked out of thin air and I wouldn’t bet against his successor, whether it be sooner rather than later, being of the same kind of ilk.

Maybe it’s better the devil you? Maybe not?