Tait's side are preparing for the visit of Harlequins in the Premiership

Newcastle Falcons head coach Alan Tait says his players owe the supporters a big performance at Kingston Park when they face Harlequins on Friday night.

Falcons won 22-5 at Leeds last weekend to lift the pressure of relegation but were beaten 23-13 by Exeter in their last home Premiership outing.

"The fans give great support for us," Tait told BBC Newcastle.

"The boys really appreciate that and I just hope that we can pay them back tomorrow night."

The visit of Conor O'Shea's Quins will bring the Falcons face-to-face with two familiar faces in the visitor's XV, in the shape of Pete Browne and Rory Clegg.

Clegg in particular was one of Jonny Wilkinson's understudies at Kingston Park, although Tait has backed his decision to allow the former Barnard Castle School fly-half to leave the club in 2009.

"I don't care what he does on the night, I was part of that decision with Steve [Bates - then Falcons coach] and I still think it was the right thing to do," Tait added.

"I didn't think he was doing much for us, and we've got a great stand-off in Jimmy Gopperth and we've got plenty behind him.

"We've got three or four '10s' behind him [Gopperth] in Tom Catterick, Joel Hodgson and Jeremy Manning, I'd be comfortable in playing any of those four before him [Clegg].

"It was just the style of play he brings that didn't suit what I or Steve were looking for in a 10, and we move on.

"He's not a bad lad and certain parts of his game aren't bad but I'm happy with the four I've got here."

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