ALAN PARDEW gave Mike Ashley the big thumbs up at The Hawthorns and then admitted he was close to the sack before leading Newcastle United to a five-match winning run.

The Magpies claimed a fourth straight Premier League victory at West Brom yesterday when Ayoze Perez and Fabricio Coloccini’s goals proved enough to lift them level with Manchester United in the top eight.

It is an incredible position for Newcastle to be in going in to the international break, given how Pardew stood on the brink just a few weeks ago after starting the campaign winless in seven in the league.

But Ashley gave him the backing he required to stay in the role and the manager’s refusal to admit defeat has led to a revival in fortunes. Suddenly a return of 13 points from the last 15 has lifted them to within touch of a top four place.

Pardew, well aware of the large sections of Newcastle fans who wanted him out, was quick to turn to the club’s billionaire owner to give him the thumbs up yesterday afternoon.

He said: “I am sure everyone was pulling at him (Ashley) when we weren't winning any games; he stuck with me and was very supportive, especially after the Southampton game.

“You have got to have that as a manager, that faith. You need to know that what you are doing on the training ground, with the chief executive and the staff, that you are doing the right things. I like to think that buys you a bit of time. It bought me just enough time on this occasion.”

It was on September 13 at Southampton when things worsened, with Newcastle supporters calling for him to go after a humiliating performance at St Mary’s when assistant John Carver got involved in heated rows with fans.

Pardew said: “I particularly want to thank my staff. You need your staff to be loyal as manager, especially when we were under fire, and you need to believe in what you are doing. I've got great belief with my staff and now I feel the rewards of that - so did they. That's important for any manager.”

The 2,700 supporters in the away end at The Hawthorns partied after Perez’s brilliant flicked goal just before half-time was followed by Coloccini’s downward header just after the hour.

West Brom had no way back and the celebrations at the final whistle were a far cry from those at Southampton - and Stoke – when the travelling Geordies called for him to go.

Pardew, whose side are six matches unbeaten and are also in the quarter-final of the Capital One Cup, said: “Newcastle fans are an extreme of any fan. They are emotional. When they win, they go mad. When they lose, they go mad as well. We weren't winning games. I am paid to win games. That's what this business is about.

“I tried to be consistent in that period. We are on a lovely little spell and I'll be consistent through this. I hope they respect that. I am not going to get carried away. We have a lot to do, a lot to learn with our young players.”

He added: “Our performance level has gone up with the confidence. No doubt about that. It's difficult to be the manager of Newcastle when you are losing and to make excuses because they don't wash with our fans.

“Sometimes when you get a win, as we did against Leicester, it gives you the confidence to see through 90 minutes. We saw this game out quite comfortably and that's the difference.”

Perez’s third goal in as many games drew admiration from the fans and he will take some dislodging from leading the line even if he cost just £1.5m from Tenerife in the summer.

“We worked hard to bring him to the football club,” said Pardew. “We thought his physicality could be an issue, but he has so much technical quality that you hope that sees him through – and it has.

“His goal was worthy of winning any game. The cross had good pace on it, but he had to add pace with his flick. That's outstanding. He had some great little moments when he manoeuvred the ball. We played him on his own and that could have been a risk, but he really worked hard. He put in a real shift.

“We had scouts looking at him all through last season at Tenerefe. He was wanted by some big clubs, in particular Porto. They don't sign anyone unless they are good a player. That really underlined what we had seen.”