Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew says he left Newcastle United on good terms with owner Mike Ashley.

He had his frustrations with Ashley but says their relationship remained a good one to the very end.

"It wasn't always easy with Mike," he told the Daily Mail. "He's his own man and sometimes I just had to accept his decisions. Occasionally I'd have to defend them, too.

"But he remained the guy who gave me the job and we could always be honest with each other. And it's a brilliant job even if it can be difficult.

"I remember being in the car heading towards the stadium for what turned out to be my last game there and I was still in awe of it. Just looking at that stadium, its position in the city, and thinking 'bloody hell, I'm the manager of this place'."