Wilfried Bony scored his 21st and 22nd goal of the season[GETTY]Pardew has been handed an awful deck of cards by Ashley, underlined by his three-pronged strike force against Swansea of Papiss Cisse, Luuk De Jong and Shola Ameobi, scorers of three Premier League goals in total this season - and one of those was a penalty.
Pardew has not spent money on a player in 16 months and lost his two best performers in Yohan Cabaye and Demba Ba in that period.
In the circumstances, his achievement in securing Newcastle's Premier League status with four months remaining of the season was outstanding, but it came with it a sense of expectation and, since Cabaye's departure, his team has been plain awful.
Pardew now holds an unwanted record of being in charge for officially Newcastle's worst ever run in the Premier League of five straight defeats - a truly embarrassing statistic.
In terms of top-flight results, this is now their poorest sequence since 1987.
"It is really hurting at the moment," said Pardew. "We need to show strength of character in the last three games. It would be damaging to us if we dropped out of the top 10 and I would like to think we will still secure that.
"People who know me will know how I stand up for myself. I'm the manager of a very big club here and I take responsibility when we lose and their last-minute goal put a really bad taste on it. If certain sections of the fans think I am standing here making excuses, I am far from it. I always stand up to my responsibilities."
Dan Gosling says Pardew's ban has affected the side [GETTY]We need to show strength of character in the last three games. It would be damaging to us if we dropped out of the top 10
Midfielder Dan Gosling says part of the problem has been Pardew's absence from the dug-out following his notorious headbutt on David Meyler last month.
"The bad run has coincided with him not being there and I think it will be a lot easier when he is back on the sidelines," said Gosling.
"It's hard for him to get his messages across. People don't realise that it does affect the team because you need your gaffer barking orders out. That helps us."
Newcastle certainly need all the help they can get right now and, after Ameobi handed them an early lead - his first goal in 1,399 minutes - there was relief on the terraces.
But it did not last long as Wilfried Bony rose above Mike Williamson to head home. Then, when Marvin Emnes was needlessly tripped by Cheick Tiote, Bony placed his spot kick high and wide of Tim Krul into the net for his 22nd goal of the campaign.
St James' Park reacted with fury, with fans calling for Pardew's axing and a season which, at the halfway stage looked so promising, has disintegrated.
As for Swansea, their win probably secured their top-flight status but manager Garry Monk knows he faces a summer battle on his hands to keep Bony.
"He is arguably the best striker outside the top six clubs," said the Swansea boss. "He doesn't just offer you goals but is a big presence even when he doesn't score and that's what you want from your striker. The other lads feed off him.
Shola Ameobi put the home side ahead with a rare goal [GETTY]"It will be massively important for us to hang on to him next season as he is a key to our future. He is a player the club will look to build around. I want him to have a great World Cup finals even though I know that will attract more attention."
It certainly will and how Pardew could do with Bony's muscular presence.
The Ivory Coast forward will now be a target for some of the elite clubs in the Premier League but do Newcastle still come into that category? This summer's transfer activity on Tyneside will give us the answer.
Newcastle (4-4-2): Krul 7; Anita 6, Coloccini 5, Williamson 5, Dummett 6; Tiote 6, Gosling 6(Armstrong 81), Gouffran 5, De Jong 4(Remy 40,6); Sh Ameobi 6, Cisse 6 (Debuchy 21,6). Booked: Tiote. Goal: Sh Ameobi 23.
Swansea (4-5-1): Vorm 6; Amat 6, Williams 7, Rangel 6, Davies 7; Britton 6, Hernandez 6 (Emnes 81,6), Routledge 7 (Bartley 90), De Guzman 7, Shelvey 6; Bony 8. Goals: Bony 45, 90pen.
Referee: C Foy (Merseyside) replaced by Anthony Taylor after 32 minutes (Cheshire).
Next up: Newcastle - Monday, April 28: Arsenal (a) league.
Swansea - Saturday: Aston Villa (h) league.
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