Blyth Spartans` manager Mick Tait is to be inducted into the Portsmouth `Hall of Fame` this Friday.
Tait played for the club for seven years making 278 appearances and scoring thirty-one goals and played in every position except goalkeeper!
He was popular from the day he arrived at Fratton Park from Hull City for £100,000 in June 1980 until fans mourned his surprise departure in August 1987 when he was released to third division Reading by Alan Ball.
Tait was well known to Pompey before he signed. He had scored against them often enough!
As a 19-year-old in November 1975, he stole the show single-handedly at Fratton Park with two goals for an Oxford away win and then repeated the dose the following season at The Manor. One year later he netted another goal against Pompey, this time in a Carlisle shirt at Brunton Park. His first Pompey goal came against Burnley at Fratton Park in a 4-2 win during October 1980.
Four months later Tait scored an astonishing hat-trick in just five minutes to help Pompey demolish Exeter 5-0 at Fratton. He was an inspiration to the team. He served Pompey dependably at third and second division level as a forward, midfielder, defender and even winger, such was his ability and willingness to play anywhere under Frank Burrows, Bobby Campbell and Alan Ball. Players and supporters alike respected his unfailing commitment to the cause.
Tait had no particular flair. He just got on with the job he was asked to do in whatever shirt he wore - and during his Pompey career he played in every one of them except Alan Knight's goalkeeping jersey.
The tag of 'Mr Dependable' followed Tait to Reading and Darlington, his next two clubs. Wherever he went he brought the team luck in winning silverware and avoided injury to clock up more than 650 appearances.
The man from Wallsend had moved back to his birthplace with his family - and went on to spend a spell as manager of Hartlepool United - but he still regards Pompey as a special club and has happy memories of the famous League Cup match at Anfield and the third division championship triumph.
