The tension will be palpable as Newcastle United take on Stoke City

Alan Pardew's job appears to be on the line in tonight's game for Newcastle United at Stoke City. It makes an otherwise dull-looking encounter appear quite interesting.

Yet even if Newcastle United successfully take three points at the Britannia Stadium this evening, you can't help but feel that unless Pardew puts together a run of half-a-dozen unbeaten games and takes Newcastle firmly into the top half, then he will remain a dead man walking.

No manager resigns these days - the pay-offs for being sacked are too lucrative - otherwise, Pardew might have decided himself that enough was enough after owner Mike Ashley's "joke" comments about sacking Pardew to a reporter recently.

A manager of any club these days is only ever three-successive defeats away from a potential P45, but some jobs are tougher than others. Ashley's loyalty to his managers doesn't seem to steeped in longevity, so, let's face it, Pardew's days are numbered.

As for the game tonight, Stoke City haven't won a league game at home yet this season (two 0-1 defeats), and Newcastle United haven't won a league game away since 1 March. Stoke City themselves only have two more points than the Geordies, and Mark Hughes might be a little more nervous than usual tonight.

It actually sounds like a recipe for a 0-0 draw, but the tension will be palpable.

Pardew signs as Newcastle manager till mid-2016. Ha ha.

So Alan Pardew has been named as the new Newcastle United boss. Well, good luck to him!

Apparently he has received phone and text messages from fellow managers telling that he is "mad" to take the job. Pardew said it was daunting, but a challenge he couldn't turn down, and that Newcastle United is one of the top five clubs in the country.

Pardew has signed a five-and-a-half year contract, taking him to mid-2016. You have to laugh. Newcastle have had seven managers in the last five-and-a-half years!

I was talking to some mates last night. They have no feeling one way or the other for Newcastle, Chris Hughton or Alan Pardew, but the general feeling was that they hope Newcastle get relegated as a reward for impatient stupidity.

Newcastle managers since 2004:
Graeme Souness 2004-06
Glenn Roeder 2006-07
Sam Allardyce 2007-08
Kevin Keegan 2008
Joe Kinnear 2008-09
Alan Shearer 2009
Chris Hughton 2009-2010

Newcastle sack Hughton to look for more experience

The greed, impatience and yes, stupidity, of Premier League chairmen/owners was highlighted again yesterday when Chris Hughton was sacked as manager of Newcastle United.

This is the Newcastle whom he rescued from the doldrums of the Championship and took back to the Premier League last season, and the Newcastle who now sit in 12th place in the top league, above the likes of Everton and Aston Villa. What precisely do the owners expect?

The same thing previously happened to Billy Davies of Derby County and Phil Brown of Hull City. Did it help their clubs? Both were taken to the Premier League by those managers. Both are now in the Championship. You judge.

There were rumblings at Newcastle a few weeks ago, so it was not really a question of whether Hughton would be sacked, but when.

The club is apparently looking for some one with "more managerial experience". It's a good job all clubs don't take that view. I wonder what managers will be looking at this particular poisoned chalice. Any experienced manager now out of work must have been sacked a few times.

That must be what Newcastle are looking for. I hope they get what they deserve.

Championship half-time report

Of all the leagues the Championship is always the toughest one to call. Why this should be I have no idea, but it always seems to be tight and most prone to a team "coming from nowhere" to either gain a play-off spot or fall into the relegation places.

This season looks to be no different. Only seven points cover places fourth to 15th, so Cardiff, Leicester, Swansea, Sheffield United, Blackpool, Crystal Palace, QPR, Middlesbrough, Bristol City, Watford, Doncaster and Barnsley are all in range, and Preston and Coventry are only another one and two points respectively further adrift.

Newcastle United are at the top, six points clear of West Bromwich Albion - who have a game in hand. Nottingham Forest are in third, two points behind West Brom, having played a game more. Cardiff are six behind Forest with a game in hand, and Leicester are six behind Forest with two games in hand.

How can you call it?!

I'll take Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest for the automatic places.

In the play-offs I'll go for West Brom, Leicester City, Sheffield United and Blackpool. But don't ask me to justify any of those tips!

As for relegation, expect some juggling, but I'll go for Peterborough United, Plymouth Argyle and Scunthorpe United to slip through the net.

Newcastle look a safe bet for a swift return

Newcastle United find themselves top of the Championship table after 21 games - seven points clear of West Bromwich Albion; ten points clear of Cardiff City who are third; and 15 points clear of Blackpool who are 7th, one place off the play-off positions.

It's looking likely that the Magpies will be making a quick return to the Premier League.

An impressive set of results since their last defeat (of three this league season) away at Scunthorpe United on 20 October has taken them clear while others below them have jockeyed for position. Seven wins and a draw have given them 22 points from the last possible 24.

Having been in a caretaker role, Chris Hughton was given the permanent job as manager on 27 October, and remained unbteaten in the league since then. (This is unusual. Most caretaker managers who are given the reins promptly fumble them and have a run of defeats!)

Another 40 points or so will probably secure promotion; that's from 25 games, and is, say, 11 wins and 7 draws, which would allow them the "luxury" of 7 defeats.

Sounds easy!

I'm sure it won't be easy, but they'll be pressing to win every game. I can't see them failing.