Ten months ago Newcastle United struggled to hide their disappointment at Alan Pardew’s appointment. STUART RAYNER asks what has changed

ALAN Pardew knew his relationship with Newcastle United’s fans had changed when they stopped saying three words to him.

“Good luck anyways,” says the Magpies manager in a dodgy attempt at a Geordie accent.

It was that last word which, he suspected, turned the comment into a back-handed goodwill message.

Pardew recalls: “I used to get a lot of, ‘Well, good luck anyway’.

“I am not sure it was a good luck or not, I think it was probably just the way they say it up here.

“I did not know if they meant it, but don’t get those sorts of remarks anymore.

“The inference was we do not really want you as manager but we still want the team to do well.

“The majority of people I bump into now are pleased with the way things are going and how the team plays. That is music to any manager’s ears.”

The weekend football results are now music to the ears of Newcastle supporters.

Until 4.50pm tomorrow at least, Pardew’s team are one of only two in the country unbeaten this season, along with Manchester United.

Desperate to change that, Wigan Athletic will be strong outsiders at St James’ Park.

Any manager with an ounce of commonsense will do his best to foster a relationship with his supporters, especially at Newcastle where they are famously one of the strongest weapons in the club’s armoury.