A FAILURE to defeat Leicester City at St James’ Park would represent the worst ever start to a Premier League season recorded by Newcastle United.

As things stand, the only other occasion that the Magpies suffered the ignominy of not winning any of their opening seven league matches was at the height of the demise of Ruud Gullit’s reign on Tyneside.

That was 15 years ago and most Newcastle observers must have hoped there would never be a repeat. Yet anything other than a win over the Foxes this afternoon will see a new record set and Alan Pardew will have even greater pressure heaped on him from the stands.

Gullit suffered four defeats in Newcastle’s opening five matches. It all came to a head on the night in August in 1999 when his spat with Alan Shearer became public; the England striker was dropped to the bench to face Tyne-Wear rivals Sunderland.

There was to be no way back for the Dutchman after the Black Cats’ win at St James’ and he knew it. Losing to Aston Villa, Tottenham and Southampton, as well as a home draw with Wimbledon, had already increased tensions but the pressure got too much on him after losing to Sunderland.

Despite Dyer’s opening goal half way through the first half, Sunderland regrouped at the break under Peter Reid and capitalised on some nervousness in the Newcastle ranks. Once Niall Quinn levelled things up in the 64th minute, attacking sidekick Kevin Phillips struck the winner 11 minutes later.

There were further defeats to Manchester United and Chelsea before Robson’s first home game in charge arrived when Sheffield Wednesday - the only team in the division to have suffered an equally depressing start - arrived in the North-East on September 19, 1999.

Shearer was reinstated at the first opportunity for a St James’ Park outing and his return to the team as well as the installation of the Newcastle fan Robson brought immediate rewards.

Shearer hit a staggering five goals in a memorable 8-0 win which basically set the tone for a renaissance under the former England boss. There were also goals form Aaron Hughes, Kieron Dyer and Gary Speed.

Robson lifted Newcastle up and away from relegation trouble, steering them to an 11th place finish, which seemed highly unlikely after the disastrous start to the campaign under Gullit.

The difference this time around is that Newcastle’s owner Mike Ashley seems intent on keeping Pardew in the job and there is also a determination on the under-fire manager’s part to turn things around by proving people wrong.

Newcastle have at least shown a greater resilience in recent outings against Swansea, Stoke City and Hull City. It will be hoped that the international break has not taken away any of that edge, knowing how desperate Pardew is for that elusive win – and the three points which comes with it.

In the past there have been other disappointing starts. In 2003/04, under Robson, Newcastle went six matches without a win but then recovered to climb up to fifth by the end of the campaign.

Conversely, after picking up four points from the first two matches in 2008/09, Newcastle went down. Regardless of what happens in the months ahead, Pardew will not want the disgrace of being the Newcastle manager with the worst Premier League start on his CV.

IS THIS NEWCASTLE’S WORST PREMIER LEAGUE START?

2014/2015

Newcastle 0 Manchester City 2 L

Aston Villa 0 Newcastle 0 D

Newcastle 3 Crystal Palace 3 D

Southampton 4 Newcastle 0 L

Newcastle 2 Hull 2 D

Stoke 1 Newcastle 0 L

Swansea 2 Newcastle 2 D

Newcastle v Leicester ?

Winless start: 7

Finished: ??

2013/14

Manchester City 4 Newcastle 0 L

Newcastle 0 West Ham 0 D

Newcastle 1 Fulham 0 W

Winless start: 2

Finished: 10th

2012/13

Newcastle 2 Tottenham 1 W

Winless start: 0

Finished: 16th

2011/12

Newcastle 0 Arsenal 0 D

Sunderland 0 Newcastle 1W

Winless start: 1

Finished: 5th

2010/11

Manchester United 3 Newcastle 0 L

Newcastle 6 Aston Villa 0 W

Winless start: 1

Finished: 12th

2009/10

WON the Championship

2008/09

Manchester United 1 Newcastle 1 D

Newcastle 1 Bolton 0 W

Winless start: 1

Finished: 18th

2007/08

Bolton 1 Newcastle 3 W

Winless start: 0

Finished: 12th

2006/07

Newcastle 2 Wigan 1 W

Winless start: 0

Finished: 13th

2005/06

Arsenal 2 Newcastle 0 L

Newcastle 0 West Ham 0 D

Bolton 2 Newcastle 0 L

Newcastle 0 Manchester United 2 L

Newcastle 1 Fulham 1 D

Blackburn 0 Newcastle 3 W

Winless start: 5

Finished: 7th

2004/05

Middlesbrough 2 Newcastle 2 D

Newcastle 0 Tottenham 1 L

Newcastle 2 Norwich 2 D

Aston Villa 4 Newcastle 2 L

Newcastle 3 Blackburn 0 W

Winless start: 4

Finished: 14th

2003/04

Leeds 2 Newcastle 2 D

Newcastle 1 Manchester United 2 L

Newcastle 0 Birmingham 1 L

Everton 2 Newcastle 2 D

Newcastle 0 Bolton 0 D

Arsenal 3 Newcastle 2 L

Newcastle 1 Southampton 0 W

Winless start: 6

Finished: 5th

2002/03

Newcastle 4 West Ham 0 W

Winless start: 0

Finished: 3rd

2001/02

Chelsea 1 Newcastle 1 D

Newcastle 1 Sunderland 1 D

Middlesbrough 1 Newcastle 4 W

Winless start: 2

Finished: 4th

2000/01

Manchester United 2 Newcastle 0 L

Newcastle 3 Derby 2 W

Winless start: 1

Finished: 11th

1999/00

Newcastle 0 Aston Villa 1 L

Tottenham 3 Newcastle 1 L

Southampton 4 Newcastle 2 L

Newcastle 3 Wimbledon 3 D

Newcastle 1 Sunderland 2 L

Manchester United 5 Newcastle 1 L

Chelsea 1 Newcastle 0 L

Newcastle 8 Sheffield Wednesday 0 W

Winless start: 7

Finished: 11th

1998/99

Newcastle 0 Charlton 0 D

Chelsea 1 Newcastle 1 D

Newcastle 1 Liverpool 4 L

Aston Villa 1 Newcastle 0 L

Newcastle 4 Southampton 0 W

Winless start: 4

Finished: 13th

1997/98

Newcastle 2 Sheffield Wednesday 1 W

Winless start: 0

Finished: 13th

1996/97

Everton 2 Newcastle 0 L

Newcastle 2 Wimbledon 0 W

Winless start: 1

Finished: 2nd

1995/96

Newcastle 3 Coventry City 0 W

Winless start: 0

Finished: 2nd

1994/95

Leicester City 1 Newcastle 3 W

Winless start: 0

Finished: 6th

1993/94

Newcastle 0 Tottenham 1 L

Coventry City 2 Newcastle 1 L

Manchester United 1 Newcastle 1 D

Newcastle 1 Everton 0 W

Winless start: 3

Finished: 3rd