I'm going nowhere - Pardew

Alan Pardew has no plans to leave Newcastle
20 June 2013

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has insisted he is going nowhere after the resignation of managing director Derek Llambias plunged the club into fresh chaos.

The 51-year-old confirmed his intention in a brief message to the city's evening newspaper as news of Llambias' departure, which came in the wake of Joe Kinnear's controversial arrival as director of football, emerged.

Pardew told The Chronicle: "I'm staying - to take the club up the league."

It was the manager's first comment since the circus which has accompanied Kinnear's unveiling as the new senior executive in charge of all football-related matters at St James' Park pitched tent on Gallowgate.

Pardew and Kinnear met for the first time since the 66-year-old Irishman was appointed on Tuesday, and Press Association Sport understands the initial talks were amicable.

But it remains to be seen whether or not he and highly rated chief scout Graham Carr can forge a working partnership with a man who has a high opinion of his own abilities, but whose return to St James', where he was manager for less than six months during the 2008-09 season, has been greeted with incredulity by the club's fans.

Llambias, however, has already voted with his feet and decided the time was right to end his five-year stay on Tyneside. The former casino boss has played a key role in the day-to-day running of the club and was heavily involved in its transfer business, although some of those duties have now passed to Kinnear.

Llambias' departure was announced in a statement issued at around 8.40am, 20 minutes before the fixtures for the new season, which handed the Magpies a tough start away at Manchester City, were due to be published. It said: "The club can announce that managing director Derek Llambias has resigned from his position with immediate effect."

Llambias, who is currently out of the country, was diplomatic in his comments less than 24 hours after he had welcomed Kinnear to the club.

He said: "I have had an incredible journey during my five years at the club, including some challenging times. I will reflect with great fondness on my time in the North East and in me, Newcastle United have a lifelong supporter. I want to thank the staff for their hard work, our fans for their support of the club, and wish them all well for the future."

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