Enduring the crazy in loony Toon town
The shock and sadness at Hughton’s brutal dismissal have quickly given way to astonishment and disbelief at the appointment of his successor. Crazy is about the right word for it, alright. As someone wittily put it: so dramatically were eyebrows raised on Tyneside, that they practically crossed the border into Scotland.
Obviously, Alan Pardew isn’t lacking in experience but to the long-suffering Toon Army he’s a real nowhere man as opposed to the marquee name they believe their historic and hysterical club deserves — and whose appointment would have gone at least some way to softening the blow of the hugely popular Hughton’s departure. Instead, few gaffers can ever have begun a new job in less propitious circumstances. A Tyneside poll this week showed that, at 2%, Pardew’s approval rating is lower even than Brian Cowen’s. And that’s before he even starts work. As one supporter put it: Newcastle would have been better off with Alan Partridge than Alan Pardew.