Alan Pardew factfile

Here, we take a closer look at Alan Pardew, who was today appointed as Newcastle manager.

1961: Born July 18 in Wimbledon, London.

1987: Signs for Crystal Palace from Yeovil Town and gives up his full-time career as a glazier.

1989: Wins promotion with Palace, via the play-offs, to the old first division.

1990: Scores the extra-time winner in Palace's 4-3 victory over Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final. Palace go on to draw cup final 3-3 with Manchester United but lose replay 1-0.

1991: Helps Palace to third place in the first division, the club's highest league position.

1991: Signs for Charlton on a free transfer.

1995: After month on loan at Tottenham, Pardew signs for Barnet and begins his coaching career at Underhill.

1998: Moves to Reading with manager Terry Bullivant and takes over the reserve team.

1999: Loses his job when Reading scrap their reserve team but returns to the club later in the year as manager following dismissal of Tommy Burns.

2000: Reading finish 10th in Division Two.

2001: Takes Reading to the play-off final in his first full season in charge but the Royals are beaten 3-2 by Walsall.

2002: Reading finish second and win automatic promotion to the first division.

2003: Reading finish fourth in the first division but lose to Wolves 3-1 in the play-off semi-final.

September 10 - Hands in his resignation after Reading chairman John Madejski refuses West Ham permission to speak to his manager.

September 18 - West Ham reach out-of-court settlement with Reading of £380,000 compensation and one month's gardening leave for Pardew.

October 18 - Takes over as West Ham's 10th manager.

2004: Reaches the play-off final but loses 1-0 to former club Palace.

2005: Reaches play-off final again and beats Preston 1-0 with a goal from Bobby Zamora to secure a return to the Premiership.

2006: January - Breaks the West Ham transfer record with £7.25million signing of Dean Ashton from Norwich.

April 23 - West Ham beat Middlesbrough at Villa Park to reach first FA Cup final in 16 years and qualify for the UEFA Cup.

May 7 - Beat Tottenham on final day of the season to secure ninth place.

May 13 - Loses the FA Cup final to Liverpool on penalties after Steven Gerrard's equaliser in the last minute of normal time forces a 3-3 draw.

August 31 - Agrees to sign Argentina internationals Carlos Teves and Javier Mascherano from Corinthians in a deal brokered by businessman Kia Joorabchian.

September 1 - West Ham confirm "exploratory discussions" over a takeover deal have taken place, thought to be with Joorabchian.

September 28 - West Ham lose 3-0 in Palermo and crash out of the UEFA Cup 4-0 on aggregate.

October 24 - An eighth straight defeat sees West Ham knocked out of Carling Cup by Chesterfield.

November 21 - West Ham board of directors accept Icelandic businessman Eggert Magnusson's £85million takeover bid.

December 11 - Sacked after five defeats in six matches.

December 24 - Appointed Charlton manager on a three-and-a-half-year contract, with the club 19th in the Premier League.

2007: May - Suffers relegation for first time in career.

2008: May - Expected promotion challenge fails to materialise as Addicks finish season in 11th.

November 22 - Parts company with Charlton by mutual consent after Addicks slip into the Championship drop zone on back of eight-game winless run.

2009: July 17 - Appointed Southampton manager on a three-year contract.

2010: March 28 - Leads Saints to Johnstone's Paint Trophy glory with 4-1 final win over Carlisle at Wembley - the club's first trophy since 1976.

August 30 - Sacked as Southampton manager - just two days after the team's 4-0 win at Bristol Rovers.

December 9: Appointed Newcastle manager on a five-and-a-half-year deal.