ALAN Pardew admits he felt “upset” and let down by the Newcastle board’s failure to land a replacement number nine in the transfer window – but has acted to draw a line under the deadline-day disappointment by reiterating his commitment to the United job.

Admitting that criticism of managing director Derek Llambias and those United power brokers responsible for negotiations had “validity”, Pardew also confessed that he regretted making cast-iron promises that a striker would be recruited during the summer.

But he insisted rumours that he was considering his position as a result of the failure to make transfer progress were no more than “scaremongering”.

The mood on Tyneside remains dark after United’s seven-month search for a new striker drew a blank. Indeed, Pardew admitted yesterday that by 6pm on deadline day he knew there would be no new arrivals – an implicit recognition that they were never close to landing late target Bryan Ruiz, who ended up at Fulham.

In truth, Pardew was walking a fine line as he spoke publicly for the first time since last Wednesday’s deadline – looking to convey his bitter disappointment at not recruiting a forward, while also protecting his squad and personal position. To that extent it was no surprise that his criticisms were relatively measured.

“I feel with the timescale we had, we should have got a striker over the line,” he said. “But there are difficulties in today’s market, especially with young strikers who have got potential. That’s what we were targeting and that’s the hardest type of player to get over the line.

“You’ve got clubs who are desperate to hold on to them because they see a future in them as well, and they see their values only going up. So the board found it very, very difficult, and they went up some paths that were dead ends.

“For me, I’m disappointed, as you can tell, but I’m more disappointed for the fans. I’m the one who has to face them and look them in the eye and I genuinely feel for them because it would have made the jigsaw complete.” He is also adamant that he never considered quitting – despite the odds on him walking away having tumbled over the last 48 hours. “I think some people are scaremongering about this and that,” he said. “I’ll be the first to admit I was upset on the day, the day after and the day after that.