Ferguson made a brief 11-game spell during the previous campaign and the Northern Ireland international impressed.
But a full season-long loan, with no chance of pulling him back should there be injuries at Newcastle, isn't that pushing the boat out?
Or is Pardew still not sure about him?
Arter all, the ball is in Newcastle's court - Birmingham are not signing him - it's a loan deal, and you would expect a get-out clause if he was needed.
Shane Ferguson: “I am really looking forward to it.
“I had a meeting with the (Newcastle) manager and he said he wanted me to get out and have a full season of games.
“I am really happy it has happened like this.
“It’s good for me to get experience and come back to Birmingham.
“I just want to play as many games as I can and help the team as much as I can.
“I came for the last two months and that makes it a lot easier this time. I know all the lads and staff here.
“And the loan being over a season, that’s good for me - and hopefully Birmingham, too.
“I don’t mind playing anywhere down the left-hand side.
“Wing-back, have played there at Newcastle and know what it’s all about.
“He (Lee Clark) wants me to get plenty of crosses into the box and just assist as much as I can.
“Eventually I want to make a breakthrough at Newcastle.
“But I am grateful to Birmingham for letting me come here on loan and gain experience and help them.
“I think we will do really well.
“Last year we showed what we were capable of and I think we can improve.
“It is a really tough league and as you saw last year, anyone can beat anyone.
“So you just don’t know with the results.
“Hopefully we can get some consistency this year and push on - and I think we can.”
Pacos De Ferreira 1 Toon 1
PACOS DE FERREIRA: Filipe, Dias, Ruben, Leao, Caetano, Poulson, Oliveira, Lopes, Tony, Jose, Anunciacao.
NEWCASTLE UNITED: Elliot; Debuchy (Dummett, 84), S Taylor (Williamson, 79), Coloccini, Yanga-Mbiwa; Cabaye (Gutierrez, 46), Tiote; Sissoko (Vuckic, 79), Ben Arfa (Gouffran, 46, Campbell, 87), Sammy Ameobi (Santon, 46); Shola Ameobi (Marveaux, 73). Subs not used: Alnwick.
Pre-season friendlies can be like watching paint dry, as both teams draw up a truce - I won't tackle you if you don't tackle me. But this was a right feisty affair that threatened to blow up.
Fabricio Coloccini saw red during a stormy pre-season friendly in Portugal.
United created a chance after two minutes when Yohan Cabaye’s free-kick wasn’t cleared and it eventually fell for Shola Ameobi who fired the ball high over the bar.
The Magpies then had to absorb a spell of pressure from the home side as the Yellow Boys penned United in their own half.
But Manuel Jose’s dangerous left wing cross that bounced just wide of the far post was the closer they came to troubling Rob Elliot in the first 10 minutes.
But the home side grabbed the lead five minutes later.
A left wing cross from Jaime Poulson wasn’t dealt with by United and Caetano made mistake as he fired the ball home inside the box at the back post.
United enjoyed a glimpse of goal on 20 minutes when Ben Arfa motored down the left hand channel but as he neared the goal his powerful effort sailed over the bar.
In a lively contest Poulson took out Cabaye before the half hour mark but Steven Taylor levelled up matters on that score with a crunching tackle on Caetano.
Then Debuchy clashed with Helder with the French full-back having to be hauled away from the Pacos man.
The flare-up infuriated the United bench and home fans stormed towards the dugout to confront both John Carver and Andy Woodman before one fan was dragged away by his missus!
United almost netted on 32 minutes when Sammy Ameobi’s cross found Shola Ameobi at the back post but his header bounced wide.
Yet the unsavoury feel to the “friendly” continued when Anunciacao was booked for taking out Sammy Ameobi 11 minutes before the break.
Moments later United won a corner and Yohan Cabaye’s swirling corner was headed straight at keeper Antonio Filipe.
Caetano and Coloccini squared up on the edge of the box and with both raising their hands, ref Jorge Sousa issued red cards to make the game a 10-a-side contest on 37 minutes.
Coloccini’s hair was pulled by Caetano before he grabbed the player by the throat.
United made three changes at half-time with Jonas, Davide Santon and Yoan Gouffran replacing Cabaye, Ben Arfa and Sammy Ameobi.
Newcastle looked a more settled team in the second half and slowly applied the pressure with Shola Ameobi levelling the game up just after the hour mark.
His 61st minute strike saw the big striker pick up a pass from Gouffran before lashing the ball home with his left foot.
United continued to build up some pressure down the left and Santon’s left wing cross only just evaded Gouffran before Debuchy smashed the ball over the with 18 minutes to go.
There were just eight minutes left on the clock when Debuchy’s teasing cross found sub Harid Vuckic but his bullet header cracked the post.
Newcastle finished the stronger of the two sides on the night and Pardew will be happy with the level of performance.
United had to rely on a last gasp – on the line clearance from Vuckic – in the final moments of the game after Fernando Neto looked to have won it for the hosts.
WE TELL IT AS IT IS - NO BULLSHIT!
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PRE-SEASON FRIENDLIES:
Blackpool (A) July 29
St Mirren (A) July 31
Rangers (A) August 6
Braga (H) August 10
PACOS DE FERREIRA 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Shola Ameobi)
Elliot; Debuchy (Dummett, 84), S Taylor (Williamson, 79), Coloccini, Yanga-Mbiwa; Cabaye (Gutierrez, 46), Tiote; Sissoko (Vuckic, 79), Ben Arfa (Gouffran, 46, Campbell, 87), Sammy Ameobi (Santon, 46); Shola Ameobi (Marveaux, 73). Subs not used: Alnwick.
RIO AVE 3 NEWCASTLE 1 (Shola Ameobi)
Alnwick (Elliot, 46); Santon (Williamson, 70), S Taylor, Yanga-Mbiwa, Dummett; Cabaye (Tiote, 46), Anita (Campbell, 76); Marveaux (Obertan, 46), Vuckic (Sissoko, 46), Gutierrez (Sammy Ameobi, 46); Gouffran (Shola Ameobi, 62).
MOTHERWELL 2 NEWCASTLE 4 (Vuckic, Gouffran, Sissoko, Marveaux)
Elliot; Tavernier, Williamson (S Taylor, 46), Yanga-Mbiwa (Streete, 82), Dummett; Sissoko (Abeid, 68), Anita (Amalfitano, 82); Obertan (Ferguson, 74), Vuckic (Marveaux, 46), Sammy Ameobi (Richardson, 82), Gouffran (Campbell, 58).
Sub not used: Alnwick.