ALAN PARDEW has been told to carry on regardless by Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley after emerging from a potentially damaging home date with Hull City with his position strengthened.

Ashley had reassured the beleaguered boss that his job was safe even if the Magpies had lost to the Tigers after becoming aware of planned protests from sections of disgruntled supporters.

And it is understood Ashley was ready to stand by that decision even though more fans started to turn on Pardew after falling two goals behind to Hull with 22 minutes remaining.

Newcastle’s players rallied and Papiss Cisse, who was not even deemed fit enough to play by medics, secured a point with a double to ease the pressure on Pardew from the stands slightly – even if the wait for a first league win of the season goes on.

The Newcastle manager knows there are those he is never likely to win over again, but he is desperate to steer his squad through and clear of troubled times and knows a return to winning ways would help in the short term.

After Wednesday’s trip to Crystal Palace in the Capital One Cup, Newcastle travel to Stoke City and then Swansea City before returning to St James’ Park to face Leicester after the international break on October 18.

Having witnessed his players show character to come back from a two-goal deficit to claim a point against Hull in a difficult atmosphere, Pardew feels reassured to know there is still the desire from within the camp to perform.

He said: “I want to say thank you to all of those who stayed neutral. There was a lot of negativity but most of our fans respected the performance and I thank them for that. I have to say they were magnificent all things considered.

“In today’s society with Facebook and Twitter, you get some real radical people and it makes it very difficult for us. It is difficult for us in the club. I told the players there is no point whingeing over various comments after the Southampton game because we did not deliver. For this club, that performance was not right.

“I was never, ever, ever going to walk out of this football club on the back of that performance. I am very proud to be the manager here I have not got an arrogance and an ego about me that I’m just going to sit it out, waiting for whatever. I love managing this team.

“I respect it and try to do a respectful job and I am very pleased for the players now because they were the stars against Hull. What a performance when you analyse it. Two wonder goals for Hull and we still would not lie down after Southampton.”

The point secured against Hull lifted them off the foot of the Premier League until wins for both West Brom and Crystal Palace yesterday.

“The top six is beyond us,” he said. “We can’t compete with them at the moment, but we should be competing for seven, eight, nine and ten. We have proved it in the past, but are well short of it at the moment.

“I won’t jump up and down after a 2-2 draw at home to Hull, but it’s a stepping stone to where this club needs to be. I was pleased we pushed for the winner.”

Cisse, who has not played because of a serious knee injury since last season, had been struggling with flu in the week building up to the match. Pardew wanted to take the gamble by putting him on the bench.

In the end it was a gamble worth taking and the Senegal striker was quick to pay tribute to team-mate Jonas Gutierrez by revealing a get well soon message.

Gutierrez, who sent Fabricio Coloccini a thank you text after hearing of the tributes from his team-mates and fans at the Hull game, is in Argentina battling testicular cancer.

Newcastle’s players walked out of the tunnel with t-shirts emblazoned with his ‘No 18, Jonas’ and the message ‘Howay man, get well soon’. Supporters also regularly chanted his name from the stands and Cisse celebrated his goal by revealing a t-shirt stating ‘Always looking forward, Jonas’.

Pardew said: “Sometimes in desperate situations such as Jonas it can bond you together. We all felt for Jonas this week. Myself and Colo have known for a long time and it’s great that Papiss honoured that. It’s strange, in a strange way, what can bring players together.”

Cisse said: "It was very important for me and the team. I remember the first goal I scored in England, Jonas crossed the ball. He makes me smile all the time when he is on the training ground. He is, all the time, happy. I just wanted to thank him for everything. On Friday night I spoke to Jonas and he told me to get a goal. Those goals were for him - and the gaffer too.”