The Newcastle United players are fully behind manager Alan Pardew according to Kevin Keegan.
Magpies boss Pardew has been under fire in the early stages of the 2014/15 season but has started to won back the trust of the Geordie people by guiding the side to three wins and a draw from their past four outings.
Pardew has Newcastle sitting 12th after a horror start and former boss Keegan believes he has the support of the playing group to continue that climb up the Premier League standings.
"Four games ago there was despair around Newcastle," said Keegan.
"He (Pardew) has been under pressure for a long time, since Christmas at least. They've persevered with him for whatever reason, and that's worked out to their advantage.
"The one thing that's obvious is that the team's behind him: you don't go to places like Tottenham and Man City and win, or Liverpool at home when they desperately needed a result, without having great team spirit.
"So that's what Alan's got, he's got a lot of character.
"Remember it was only two years ago he was manager of the year so things do change quickly in football."
Of Pardew, Keegan added: "I think the board there have got the rewards for sticking by him: and now they've got to keep it going.
"They are halfway up the table, and they are not that far off the top six now strangely enough.
"They can certainly harness this now to kick on and build again."
