ALAN Pardew’s backing Newcastle United’s fans to generate a home atmosphere at the DW Stadium.
Pardew’s side take on Wigan Athletic on Saturday, looking to take another huge step towards Champions League football.
Newcastle’s 4,500-seat allocation for the stadium’s North Stand sold out earlier this month.
And United have been unable to secure an extra batch of tickets, despite average attendances at the 25,000-capacity stadium this season being the second-lowest in the Premier League.
However, Pardew’s still hopeful Newcastle supporters can cheer his players on to a seventh consecutive victory, and a league double over Roberto Martinez’s attack-minded team, who beat Manchester United on their last home outing, to move out of the relegation zone.
“Wigan’s going to be massive for us,” Pardew told the Gazette.
“I don’t know how many tickets we’ve sold, but I hope we get some more tickets and fill the place up.
“They could probably do with the money.
“It would be nice to see 8-9,000 Geordies somehow get in there, because it would feel like a home game.”
Newcastle beat 3-0 Stoke City in their last outing, the result moving them into the top four and effectively securing at least a Europa League place for next season.
Pardew, wary of Tony Pulis’s normally stubborn team, had again called for United’s fans to be patient on the eve of the fixture, but there was no looking back once Yohan Cabaye opened the scoring in the 14th-minute.
And the buzz on Tyneside about the prospect of European football is being felt in the dressing room.
“It was a great, electric start in terms of the crowd, with another full house,” said Pardew.
“We’ve put a buzz in this city, but they’re putting a buzz in us.”
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