Newcastle United Sign Manager Alan Pardew to 8-Year Extension

Alan Pardew is going to be the Newcastle manager for quite some time.

On Thursday, Newcastle announced it had signed Pardew to an eight-year deal that will keep him with the club through 2020. Sky Sports had the scoop on Twitter:

"

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew & coaching staff awarded eight-year contracts #SSN

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) September 27, 2012"

Pardew had signed a five-and-a-half-year contract in December 2010 after taking over for Chris Hughton. However, after guiding Newcastle to a fifth-place finish and earning several manager of the year honors, the club rewarded him with this well-earned extension.

Newcastle appears to be picking up where it left off a year ago, with eight points in its first five matches, including a win over Tottenham and a tie against Everton. Wednesday's 2-1 loss to Manchester United in the Capital One Cup was a disappointment, however.

Pardew has also been responsible for adding key players such as Yohan Cabaye, Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse, who all were major contributors to the team's 2011-12 resurgence.

Newcastle should be in line for a nice run of play in the Premier League. Save another date with Manchester United in two weekends, the Magpies face Reading, Sunderland, West Brom, Liverpool, Swansea City, Southampton, Stoke City, Wigan and Fulham before the schedule gets hairy in December.

That should give Pardew plenty of time to prove he is more than worthy of this extension.

Of course, the expectations are much higher now. Newcastle fans certainly believe they should replicate last season's Europa League qualification, and some may even have a Champions League spot on the agenda. While that might be a tall task, last season's success has the rest of the Premier League taking the side seriously.

Newcastle fans are lauding the hire of Pardew, a man many didn't want when he was first hired. Winning changes everything, right?

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