Joey Barton believes that the Newcastle United fans are not particularly fond of former manager Alan Pardew as they are not willing to give him the ‘benefit of the doubt’.
Following the shock sacking of Chris Hughton as manager back in December 2010, Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley surprisingly decided to hand over the reins to Alan Pardew.
While Pardew did guide Newcastle to a fine 5th placed finish during the 2011/12 season, winning the League Managers Association Manager of the Year award in the process, the 55-year-old was never able to win over the club faithful due to a number of mediocre seasons after the fine campaign.
Pardew’s relationship with the fans turned sour to the point that the fans opened up a website to put pressure on Ashley to get rid of the ex-West Ham boss and he eventually left the club for Crystal Palace in January 2015.
Almost two years on from his departure, Newcastle fans still harbor a lot of resentment towards Pardew and now Joey Barton has gone on to explain why the Magpies’ faithful are not fond of their former manager.
Barton stated in his autobiography ‘No Nonsense’ serialized by the Chronicle, “Ashley’s choice of Alan Pardew to succeed Chris was cunning, because of his working-class, building-site background. He is one of the better managers I have played for, but I don’t think the fans ever related to him.
“He justified their prejudices because he looked like a stereotypical wide boy. He fancied himself a little too obviously for their tastes. The average Geordie who works his b**locks off can’t bring himself to give a good-looking Cockney lad the benefit of the doubt.
“He is much more comfortable with the grittiness of one of his own. That’s why Alan Shearer is idolised and Pards mistrusted. Rightly or wrongly, he was seen as Ashley’s ambassador and apologist.”
