Simon Turnbull:-
While the new-look Newcastle continue to occupy the dizzy height of fourth place in the Premier League table, the default mood setting among many followers of the black and whites remains stuck somewhere in the vicinity of the downcast Bob Ferris in the film version of The Likely Lads.
Still, for all of the Toon Army's deep resentment of Mike Ashley's presence at the top layer of their beloved club, of the pinching of Andy Carroll, Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton by opposition clubs, of the lack of re-investment in high-profile replacements, the Magpies are flying high and a feel-good factor is threatening to impinge on the negativity.
Pardew's side travel to Wolves today on an unbeaten run of eight matches in all competitions this season – six in the league, two in the Carling Cup.
Factor in a defence that has conceded the fewest number of goals of all 92 League clubs (three to date) and you might think they would be singing Pardew's praises from the rooftops on Tyneside.
You would be wrong. Ten months on from his appointment in place of the popular Chris Hughton, Pardew has yet to hear his name chanted by the Toon Army.
He is still seen as Ashley's puppet, as the cover of the latest edition of one fanzine portrays him.
Pardew is looking no further than today's trip to Wolverhampton, where the Magpies last won a top-flight fixture back in September 1958.
Asked to evaluate his unlikely lads, he replied: "I honestly can't tell you how good we are.
"The signs that I'm getting suggest that we are a good side but I think we're a little more vulnerable.
"Last season we were a functional team. We could get goals at set-plays. We could eke out a result.
"This team isn't like that. This team is more about rhythm. And there's more things that can go wrong. Two or three lose confidence and it might not look the same.
"We've got all those battles to come. When we go down to 10 men, can we nick a result? When things really go against us, how are we going to react?"
No pats on the back just yet then for the Geordie untouchables.