Mick Tait

Mick Tait
Personal information
Full name Michael Paul Tait
Date of birth (1956-09-30) 30 September 1956
Place of birth Wallsend, England
Positions
Team information
Current team
 Newcastle United (scout)
Youth career
Wallsend Boys Club
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1974–1977 Oxford United 64 (23)
1977–1979 Carlisle United 106 (20)
1979–1980 Hull City 33 (3)
1980–1987 Portsmouth 240 (30)
1987–1990 Reading 99 (10)
1990–1992 Darlington 79 (2)
1992–1994 Hartlepool United 61 (1)
1994 Gretna 0 (0)
1994–1998 Hartlepool United 77 (2)
Total 769 (93)
Managerial career
1996–1999 Hartlepool United
1999–2000 Blyth Spartans
2002–2003 Darlington (caretaker)
2003 Darlington
2009 Newcastle Blue Star
2009–2011 Blyth Spartans
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Michael Tait (born 30 September 1956) is an English former professional footballer, manager and football scout who works for Premier League club Newcastle United.

During a playing career spanning more than two decades, he represented Oxford United, Carlisle United, Hull City, Portsmouth, Reading, Darlington and Hartlepool United in the Football League.[1]

Playing career

Born in Wallsend, Tait began his professional career with Oxford United in October 1974. He made 64 league appearances, including three as a substitute, and scored 23 goals before joining Carlisle United for £65,000 in February 1977.[1]

Tait spent two and a half years at Carlisle, making 106 league appearances and scoring 20 goals. In September 1979, he joined Hull City for £150,000. He made 33 league appearances and scored three goals during his single season at Hull.[1]

In June 1980, Tait moved to Portsmouth for £100,000. He spent seven years at the club, making 240 league appearances and scoring 30 goals.[1] During his time at Portsmouth, the club won the Football League Third Division in 1982–83 and gained promotion to the First Division after finishing as runners-up in the Second Division in 1986–87.

Tait joined Reading for £50,000 in September 1987. He made 99 league appearances and scored ten goals before leaving for Darlington on a free transfer in August 1990.[1]

At Darlington, Tait made 79 league appearances and scored twice. He was part of the team that won the Football League Fourth Division title in 1990–91.[1][2]

In July 1992, Tait joined Hartlepool United on a free transfer. He made 61 league appearances during his first spell with the club before leaving in 1994. After a brief spell with Gretna, he returned to Hartlepool in September 1994 and remained registered as a player until 1998.[1]

Coaching and managerial career

Hartlepool United

While still registered as a player, Tait moved into coaching at Hartlepool United. In November 1996, following the departure of Keith Houchen, he was appointed manager of the club. He led Hartlepool to a 20th-place finish in the Third Division in his first season.[3]

Tait remained in charge until January 1999. He also continued to be registered as a player during the early part of his managerial tenure; Hartlepool records him as the oldest player to represent the club, at 40 years and 173 days.[4]

Blyth Spartans

Later in 1999, Tait was appointed manager of Blyth Spartans, succeeding John Gamble. He remained at Croft Park until 2000.[5]

Darlington

Tait later returned to Darlington, initially working within the club's coaching structure. In 2002, he became caretaker manager and was subsequently appointed to the position on a permanent basis in 2003. His permanent spell ended later that year, when David Hodgson returned as manager.[6]

Tait remained associated with Darlington after his spell as first-team manager, later working with the club's reserve side before leaving in 2008.

Newcastle Blue Star and return to Blyth Spartans

In 2009, Tait briefly worked with Newcastle Blue Star before returning to Blyth Spartans for a second spell as manager. Blyth appointed him on 9 May 2009 following the departure of Harry Dunn.[7]

In an interview shortly after his appointment, Tait said that the club had changed considerably since his first spell, particularly in its financial position and infrastructure.[8]

Tait remained in charge for two seasons. During his second spell, Blyth reached the quarter-finals of the FA Trophy and finished ninth in Conference North in 2010–11. He left the club at the end of that season when his contract was not renewed.[9]

Scouting career

Newcastle United

In 2012, Tait joined Newcastle United as a scout. He has continued to work in the club's scouting operation. In March 2024, Tait was reported to have attended a Championship match between Sunderland and Queens Park Rangers on behalf of Newcastle, amid reported interest in Sunderland midfielder Chris Rigg.[10]

Managerial statistics

Team From To Record
GWLDWin %
Hartlepool United November 1996 January 1999 11533374528.7
Blyth Spartans October 1999 May 2000
Darlington (caretaker) October 2002 June 2003 3511111331.4
Darlington June 2003 October 2003 19511326.3
Blyth Spartans May 2009 May 2011

Honours

Portsmouth

Reading

Darlington

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Mick Tait". Soccerbase. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  2. ↑ "The story of the 1990–91 season part 1". Darlington F.C. 22 August 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  3. ↑ Errington, Malcolm. Hartlepool United: The Complete Record. The Derby Books Publishing Company.
  4. ↑ "Club Records". Hartlepool United. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  5. ↑ "Mick Tait Interview". Blyth Spartans. 8 July 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  6. ↑ Simpson, Ray (7 June 2019). "Team pic from the past". Darlington F.C. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  7. ↑ "History of Blyth Spartans". Blyth Spartans. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  8. ↑ "Mick Tait Interview". Blyth Spartans. 8 July 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  9. ↑ "History of Blyth Spartans". Blyth Spartans. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  10. ↑ Ray, James (19 March 2024). "Newcastle United scout watches Sunderland v QPR amid midfielder interest". The72. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
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