Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew says no-one can question Mike Ashley's ambition at the club.

Pardew revealed the depth of Ashley's ambition for a Newcastle side currently sitting fourth in the Barclays Premier League and still unbeaten.

When Ashley watched Pardew's side surrender a three-goal lead to West Bromwich on the final day of last season - a collapse that meant they finished 12th rather than 10th - he did not speak to his manager for two months.

"Our football club, I have to tell Newcastle fans, is run in an incredibly efficient way," Pardew told the Daily Mail. "Everything we do is calculated and budgeted for because that's how Mike is. He drives success.

"He drives Sports Direct to be the biggest company it can be and, believe you me, he's driving me to make this club as great as it can be within the financial structure that we have.

"I'll give you an example of that. We were 3-0 up at half- time against West Brom. I've done a decent job, my staff and players have done a fantastic job in my opinion. But we let West Brom back into the game and we dropped down two places.

"I didn't see Mike for two months, because he wasn't happy. I don't think the money was paramount. I'm talking about the emotion of the game. People have this image of him drinking that pint of lager at Arsenal, but that's not him - trust me.

"Not when he's got his business head on. He didn't even say, "Well done, great season". I didn't see him! He wants better than that. I'll hold my hands up for what happened on that last day and that's what he is. He won't accept anything else."