But if we intend breaking into the Top Four - as the Toon boss says - we have to get used to doing what the likes of Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea have been doing for decades ... playing two games a week.
The Magpies play Greek side Atromitos in the final qualifying round for this season's Europa League.
They will travel to the Peristeri Stadium for the first leg on either Wednesday, August 22 or Thursday, August 23, with the return taking place on Tyneside a week later.
If the initial game does take place on the Thursday evening, they face the daunting prospect of taking on Champions League winners Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the Barclays Premier League less than 48 hours later, with police having refused permission for the fixture to be moved due to the Notting Hill Carnival taking place during the same weekend.
Alan Pardew: "It will be a hard game, for sure. You don't finish fourth in your league unless you've got something going on, so they are obviously on the up.
"It's a tough journey which is going to take a little bit away from us. Certainly coming back from there to go to Chelsea on a Saturday is not ideal."
Source: FOOTYMAD
