I heard that this tryst between the Geordies and Pardew goes further back than last summer. Legend has it that Mr and Mrs Pardew were visited on 17th July 1961 - the eve of the birth of their son, Alan - by the Angel of the North who prophesied that the day would come when their son will be given the manager's job at Newcastle United. The Angel also said that Alan should haggle for a laughably lengthy contract on the back of, and I quote, "wor lad being tha choosen wun, an al".