Pardew was named the new manager of Southampton in the early hours of 17 July 2009, after the new owner Markus Liebherr had taken over the club and sacked Mark Wotte a day after completing the deal to save The Saints.
Pardew's first signing for the club was Dan Harding who signed on a free transfer after being released by Ipswich Town.
His first league match in charge was against Millwall on 8 August, which ended in a 1–1 draw.
He brought many new signings to the club including notable League One strikers Rickie Lambert and Lee Barnard, the first of which cost more than £1 million.
Pardew led Southampton to the 2010 Football League Trophy Final at Wembley, where they won 4–1 against Carlisle United.
The win gave the club their first trophy since 1976. Five months later Pardew was dismissed by the club, amidst reports of low staff morale and conflicts between Pardew and club chairman, Nicola Cortese.
The Telegraph report ...
Alan Pardew was sacked as Southampton manager on Monday morning because of concern over staff morale at the club’s Staplewood training base. The 49-year-old former Reading, West Ham and Charlton manager had overseen a 4-0 win at Bristol Rovers on Saturday but was contacted on Sunday evening by executive chairman Nicola Cortese and summoned to St Mary’s.
Pardew had been given the impression that it was a routine meeting about the club’s start to the season but, along with coaches Wally Downes and Stuart Murdoch, was told that he had been dismissed. The meeting lasted less than 10 minutes.
Cortese then went to the club’s training ground, where he told players and staff that Pardew, Downes and Murdoch had left the club.
Cortese felt that he had been left with no option following reports of unrest among staff at the training ground. There have also been tensions in Pardew’s relationship with Cortese, who publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with league results last season.
The sacking of Pardew comes less than three weeks after the death of Southampton owner Markus Liebherr. However, according to a source who was close to Liebherr, the Swiss billionaire had been pushing for Pardew’s dismissal for several months.
The source also said that Liebherr’s family, who now own Southampton, supported the decision to remove Pardew.
Southampton FC club statement: “Following a review of the status in and around the first team, the club has decided that, to achieve its well-known targets, it is essential to make changes to the first-team management and coaching
“These targets for sustained and significant progress embrace both the first team and the football development and support centre as integrated, co-operative units.
“We recognise that frequent changes to the football management are unlikely to assist in the winning of trophies and promotions. However, we are taking these steps to achieve our aims, which we share with all supporters, to get promoted this season, and secure long-term stability and progress for our football operations.”
According to a poll in the local newspaper, only 13 per cent of fans support the decision to sack Pardew.
Southampton finished seventh last season despite a 10-point deduction, and won the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy at Wembley in front of a record crowd for the competition of 73,000.
Even then, Pardew described his relationship with Cortese as “tough” and expressed hope that he would be given time to see through Liebherr’s vision of taking Southampton back to the Premier League.
Alan Pardew's view ...
When he left Southampton a poll claimed only 13% of Saints fans wanted him out - but when he arrived at Newcastle a poll (on NU-Mad) showed only 6% wanted him in!
Alan Pardew (in an interview at Newcastle in 2012): "Me and the chairman didn't see eye to eye.
"To lose a job from a League One club is difficult.
"I felt I could take the club out of the division, minus 10 points and I didn't have a starting 11 when I arrived.
"I took Rickie Lambert who I thought could play in the Premier League and he's proved me right - I'm pleased for him because he's a terrific lad.
"Four or five of those players I had in that division are now playing in the Premier League, so there's a lot of work there that I'm pleased about."
Source: Newcastle United Mad
Source: FOOTYMAD
