Leeds a lesson for prudent Pardew
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has admitted the plight which befell Leeds more than a decade ago remains a salutary lesson for clubs tempted to spend beyond their means.
Magpies owner Mike Ashley, often to the fury of the Tyneside public, has spent the years since relegation from the Barclays Premier League at the end of the 2008-09 season, working to a strict financial model which has slashed expenditure and made marquee signings a thing of the past.
The penalties for not doing so have become abundantly clear in recent years with Leeds in particular having paid the price for over-reaching themselves as they marched to the brink of Champions League glory.
Currently spending a ninth successive season out side the top flight, the West Yorkshire club has had to rebuild on and off the pitch, and as manager Brian McDermott and his players prepared to head for St James' Park for Wednesday night's Capital One Cup third round clash with Newcastle, Pardew admitted the Sky Bet Championship outfit's difficulties served as a cautionary tale.
He said: "We get criticised a lot for perhaps not over-spending and not perhaps being a little bit more ambitious in terms of our signings.
"But you can look at those other situations where it hasn't gone well, and Leeds are an example of that, unfortunately.
"But they are rebuilding and I know it is a much tighter ship now and hopefully, they are putting down the foundations to return to the Premier League."
Newcastle, of course, secured their return to the Premier League at the first attempt, and have re-established themselves in the division, although not without a scare last season.
However, their wait for a major trophy, which dates back to 1955, remains a weeping sore which has shown few signs of healing in recent seasons.
Local evening newspaper the Chronicle ran a poll during the summer in which fans were asked whether they would prefer to see the club lift silverware or finish in the top six, with the former option attracting two-thirds of the votes.
Pardew said: "That probably doesn't tell a lie. Those polls are usually pretty accurate and I would suggest that's somewhere our fans are.
"They want to win a trophy, they want to go to Wembley or whatever and see some silverware - and so do I, trust me. I have come very, very close before and I want to win something."
The Newcastle boss is simply delighted to have a home tie in a domestic cup competition.
He has only taken charge of one at St James' Park since his appointment in December 2010, although the FA Cup third-round tie against Blackburn in January 2012 appears to have escaped his memory.
He said: "It's my first domestic tie at home - I am absolutely delighted with that and I certainly don't want to lose it.
"I have had some really tricky away ties in domestic competitions as manager of this club.
"But we had a little taster at home last year in the Europa League of what a night fixture is like here, and they were brilliant nights.
"For us, with Leeds bringing 5,000 fans and the great club they are, it's going to be a really good occasion."
Pardew intends to field a strong team, but there will be starts for Academy graduates Paul Dummett and Sammy Ameobi, and they will be joined in the team by Ivory Coast international Cheick Tiote.
The 52-year-old said: "We are putting out a strong side tomorrow.
"But I do need to look at one or two to see if they can push to be starters for this team, and in particular two young players from our Academy, Sammy Ameobi and Dummett, who have done absolutely brilliantly and are really knocking on the door of the first team, so those two will definitely play."
Source : http://www.football.co.uk/newcastle_united/leeds_a_lesson_for_prudent_pardew_rss4419969.shtml