Pardew

Pardew may refer to:

Alan Pardew

Alan Scott Pardew (born 18 July 1961) is an English manager and former footballer who manages Crystal Palace.

His highest achievements in the sport include reaching the FA Cup Final twice, as a player with Crystal Palace in 1990 and as a manager with West Ham United in 2006, though he ended up on the losing side on both occasions. He has also achieved promotion three times in his career, as a player with Crystal Palace and as a manager with Reading and West Ham. He managed Newcastle United from 2010 to 2014.

As manager of Newcastle, he won both the Premier League Manager of the Season and the LMA Manager of the Year awards for the 2011–12 season after guiding the Magpies to European football for the first time since the club's return to the Premier League.

Playing career

Early career

Pardew started his career as a part-time player in non-League football at Whyteleafe and Epsom & Ewell, while working as a glazier. At one stage he gave up football for six months while working in the Middle East, but he returned to football at Corinthian Casuals before later having spells at Dulwich Hamlet and Yeovil Town. Pardew was also in the England Semi-Professional squad during this time.

Advent calendar

An Advent calendar is a special calendar used to count or celebrate the days in anticipation of Christmas. Since the date of the first Sunday of Advent varies, falling between November 27 and December 3 inclusive, the Advent calendar usually begins on December 1, although many include the previous few days that are part of the season. The Advent calendar was first used by German Lutherans in the 19th and 20th centuries but is now ubiquitous among adherents of many Christian denominations.

Design and use

Advent calendars range in theme, from sports to technology. They come in a multitude of forms, from a simple paper calendar with flaps covering each of the days to fabric pockets on a background scene to painted wooden boxes with cubby holes for small items.

Many Advent calendars take the form of a large rectangular card with "windows", of which there are usually 24: one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Eve (December 24). Consecutive doors are opened every day leading up to Christmas, beginning on December 1. The calendar windows open to reveal an image, a poem, a portion of a story (such as the story of the Nativity of Jesus), or a small gift, such as a toy or a chocolate item. Often, each window has a Bible verse and Christian prayer printed on it, which Christians incorporate as part of their daily Advent devotions. Advent calendars may also have puzzles and games printed on their reverse side.

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace may refer to:

Places

United Kingdom

Sky Sports

Sky Sports is a group of sports television channels operated by the satellite pay-TV company Sky plc. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It has played a major role in the increased commercialisation of British sport since 1991, sometimes playing a large role in inducing organisational changes in the sports it broadcasts, most notably when it encouraged the Premier League to break away from The Football League in 1992.

Sky Sports 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are available as a premium package on top of the basic Sky package. These channels are also available as premium on nearly every satellite, cable and IPTV broadcasting system in the UK and Ireland. Sky Sports News HQ is provided as part of basic packages. Sky Sports is perhaps best known for its Premier League football coverage. The Sky Sports network is managed by Barney Francis.

Before BSkyB

Eurosport (1989–1991)

At launch on 5 February 1989, Sky Television operated Eurosport as a 50/50 joint venture with the European Broadcasting Union. The channel was marketed as one of Sky's four channels upon its launch, although additional sports programmes such as long-running international cricket coverage was occasionally broadcast on Sky Channel.