Alan Tait exits as Gary Gold takes over the reins at lowly Newcastle Falcons

Newcastle are languishing at the bottom of the Aviva Premiership, nine points adrift of Wasps and 12 behind Bath. Under Tait this season they have managed just two wins in 13 league games, and Saturday’s 16-10 defeat at home to Exeter in front of just 3,500 supporters appears to have been the last straw for owner Semore Kurdi.

The Tyneside businessman pledged to help turn around Falcons’ fortunes when he joined the board last year and placed his faith in Tait. The former British Lions and Great Britain Rugby League cap had returned to the club at which he finished his playing career when released by Scotland in the summer of 2008, initially assisting Steve Bates.

However, Bates was fired as Newcastle flirted with relegation and Tait promoted to head up a new coaching team. It is reported that Kurdi pledged £2 million to help strengthen the squad.

The Scot found it tough to add the players he wanted with the money coming in only towards the end of last season, but he has spent a good bit on bringing a host of foreign players to the north-east of England.

It has not yet worked out for him and while Tait was confident that he could effect change and drive Newcastle back up the league Kurdi was not prepared to give him more time, and has moved swiftly in an effort to renew hope of avoiding the drop.

Tait sensed that the weekend match could be his last, stating afterwards: “We have to face up to reality and we have just had a meeting with the players and coaches about where we are.

“It’s going to be a tough old battle now and we have to be realistic. I have to look at myself as well and I will do that and I will have a talk with the owner. I’ll reflect on things and on my performances over the next few days. I had a dream and vision for this club and it hasn’t quite worked and I have to speak to the owner and see what happens.

“The knives will be out and quite rightly so. Maybe I’m writing myself off but it’s hard not to do so after a result like that, and things like that can cost you your job.”

Gold has been appointed as director of rugby for the remainder of the current season and he will be assisted by Mike Ford, the England defence coach sacked by the RFU after the recent World Cup. The forwards coach that Tait brought to Kingston Park, Paul Moriarty, will remain and takes charge of Sunday’s Amlin Challenge Cup match at home to Petrarca Padova, where Newcastle cling to an outside chance of reaching the quarter-finals.

After three seasons at London Irish, Gold moved to the Stormers as technical director, then took over as head coach at Currie Cup side Western Province and for the past three years has been South Africa assistant coach. He said: “This is an exciting challenge and I am delighted to have the opportunity to work in the Aviva Premiership.

“Newcastle Falcons is a big club with big ambitions and an owner who is very determined so anything is possible.

“I know a lot about the players and the traditions of the club so I am really looking forward to the challenge of keeping top-flight rugby in the north east.”