It seldom occurs that teams with modest ambitions figure in end-of-season award ceremonies.

Yet, the past season was special for Newcastle United as they fully deserved the awards for best team and top manager for Alan Pardew. They set many bushes on fire and were a stumbling block for many an ‘elite side’.

Norwich City, having came up from the Championship as the runner-up club, held their own last season as their brand of attacking football went down well with the followers of the game.

Yet, in the off-season Norwich lost manager Paul Lambert to Aston Villa. The Canaries have appointed Chris Hughton, the former Newcastle manager who was replaced by Pardew.

Newcastle caught the eye of the neutrals. They finished in fifth place and were indeed close to a Champions League berth. Next season, they will be competing in the Europa League.

The 12th placing for Norwich was welcomed with open arms by the fans since the gap between them and the drop zone was that of 11 points.

The Magpies opened the season with a flourish, embarking on an unbeaten sequence of 13 matches in league and cup, their longest top-flight run for more than 61 years.

Towards the end of the campaign, they embarkeed on another six-match winning run in which the side conceded only two goals. In this exciting spell, Papiss Cisse netted nine goals.

The players that impressed most for Norwich last season were Grant Holt, Steve Morison, Anthony Pilkington, Russell Martin and John Ruddy.

In the FA Cup, Norwich notched a fine fourth-round win at West Brom but fell in the next hurdle to Championship side Leicester City.

It was worse in the League Cup, as Norwich were eliminated at the first time of asking by MK Dons at home 0-4.

Newcastle were expected to do well in the FA Cup but after their home win over Blackburn they lost at Brighton 0-1.

Newcastle met Blackburn again in the League Cup fourth round but the Rovers held the upperhand with a 4-3 victory at Ewood Park.

Premier League 2011-12

Newcastle United

August
Home vs Arsenal 0-0.
Away vs Sunderland 1-0 (Taylor R).
Home vs Fulham 2-1 (Best 2).

September
Away vs QPR 0-0.
Away vs Aston Villa 1-1 (Best).
Home vs Blackburn Rovers 3-1 (Ba 3).

October
Away vs Wolves 2-1 (Ba, Gutierrez).
Home vs Tottenham 2-2 (Ba, Ameobi).
Home vs Wigan 1-0 (Cabaye).
Away vs Stoke 3-1 (Ba 3, 1 pen).

November
Home vs Everton 2-1 (Heitinga og, R. Taylor).
Away vs Manchester City 1-3 (Gosling).
Away vs Manchester United 1-1 (Ba pen).

December
Home vs Chelsea 0-3.
Away vs Norwich 2-4 (Ba 2).
Home vs Swansea 0-0.
Home vs West Bromwich Albion2-3 (Ba 2).
Away vs Bolton 2-0 (Ben Arfa, Ba).
Away vs Liverpool 1-3 (Cabaye).

January
Home vs Manchester United 3-0 (Ba, Cabaye, Jones og).
Home vs QPR 1-0 (Best).
Away vs Fulham 2-5 (Guthrie, Ben Arfa).

February
Away vs Blackburn 2-0 (Dann og, Obertan).
Home vs Aston Villa 2-1 (Ba, Cisse).
Away vs Tottenham 0-5.
Home vs Wolves 2-2 (Cisse, Gutierrez).

March
Home vs Sunderland 1-1 (Ameobi).
Away vs Arsenal 1-2 (Ben Arfa).
Home vs Norwich 1-0 (Cisse).
Away vs West Bromwich Albion 3-2 (Cisse 2, Ben Arfa)

April
Home vs Liverpool 2-0 (Cisse 2).
Away vs Swansea 2-0 (Cisse 2).
Home vs Bolton Wanderers 2-0 (Cisse, Ben Arfa).
Home vs Stoke City 3-0 (Cabaye 2, Cisse).
Away vs Wigan 0-4.
Away vs Chelsea 2-0 (Cisse 2).

May
Home vs Manchester City 0-2.
Away vs Everton 1-3 (Hibbert og).

Norwich City

August
Away vs Wigan 1-1 (Hoolahan).
Home vs Stoke 1-1 (De Laet).
Away vs Chelsea 1-3 (Holt).

September
Home vs West Brom 0-1.
Away vs Bolton 2-1 (Pilkington, Johnson).
Home vs Sunderland 2-1 (Barnett, Morison).

October
Away vs Manchester United 0-2.
Home vs Swansea 3-1 (Pilkington 2, Martin).
Away vs Liverpool 1-1 (Holt).
Home vs Blackburn 3-3 (Morison, Johnson, Holt pen).

November
Away vs Aston Villa 2-3 (Pilkington, Morison).
Home vs Arsenal 1-2 (Morison).
Home vs QPR 2-1 (Martin, Holt).

December
Away vs Man. City 1-5 (Morison).
Home vs Newcastle 4-2 (Hoolahan, Holt 2, Morison).
Away vs Everton 1-1 (Holt).
Away vs Wolves 2-2 (Surman, Jackson).
Home vs Tottenham 0-2.
Home vs Fulham 1-1 (Jackson).

January
Away vs QPR 2-1 (Pilkington, Morison).
Away vs West Brom 2-1 (Surman, Morison).
Home vs Chelsea 0-0.

February
Away vs Sunderland 0-3.
Home vs Bolton 2-0 (Surman, Pilkington).
Away vs Swansea 3-2 (Holt 2, Pilkington).
Away vs Man. United 1-2 (Holt).

March
Away vs Stoke 0-1.
Home vs Wigan 1-1 (Hoolahan).
Away vs Newcastle 0-1.
Home vs Wolves 2-1 (Holt 2, 1 pen).

April
Away vs Fulham 1-2 (Wilbrahim).
Home vs Everton 2-2 (Howson, Holt).
Away vs Tottenham 2-1 (Pilkington, Bennett).
Home vs Man. City 1-6 (Surman).
Away vs Blackburn 0-2.
Home vs Liverpool 0-3.

May
Away vs Arsenal 3-3 (Hoolahan, Holt, Morison).
Home vs Aston Villa 2-1 (Holt, Jackson).