Pardew’s new-look Toon show real steel

WE’RE not quite at the stage of footballing Nirvana for Newcastle, but there’s certainly something that smells like team spirit at St James’ Park.

The hosts maintained their unbeaten start, their most impressive opening to a campaign in the two decades since Kurt Cobain’s seminal single — of almost the same name — and the inescapable truth is that Alan Pardew seems to be fostering a never say die attitude among his troops that many of his recent predecessors have simply failed to achieve.

The Newcastle manager may have a less technically gifted squad at his disposal than seen in many a season on Tyneside in the Premier League era, but there is little doubting that the sum is far, far greater than the parts.