Return of the prodigal Pardew – Reading vs Newcastle United match preview
September 29th, 2012 | 15 Comments |
Date: Saturday, 29th Sept.
Kick off: 3:00pm
Referee: Andre Marriner (Sheldon, W.Mids).
UK TV: None.
Today sees Alan Pardew (complete with his new eight year contract), returning to his managerial alma mater, Reading.
Where José Mourinho and André Villas-Boas had Sir Bobby Robson, and Pep Guardiola had Johan Cruyff to guide them in their early stages of coaching, Pardew had Terry Bullivant. After a spell in the Autumn of his career as a player-coach under Bullivant at Barnet, Pardew subsequently moved with him to Reading in 1997. After playing 17 games for the Royals, once again as a player-coach, Pardew retired from playing, pressing on with his coaching role. When Bullivant resigned following a very poor run at Reading the following year, Pardew had his first taste of the hot seat as caretaker manager until the arrival of Tommy Burns. Like Bullivant before him, Burns didn’t last long, being sacked after the club were relegated to the then Division Two, leaving Pardew to be promoted to permanent manager in 1999. (more…)