Fletcher axed by Newcastle Falcons
2:02pm Tuesday 11th March 2008
ON the day Jonny Wilkinson was dropped by England, Newcastle Falcons parted company with Director of Rugby John Fletcher and forwards coach Peter Walton.
A club statement said it was done "by mutual consent" and chairman Dave Thompson added: "I would like to place on record my thanks to John and Peter, and to wish them well for the future.
"Coaching and technical director Steve Bates will take charge of team affairs on an interim basis until the end of the season, assisted by Ian Peel."
The thanks and good wishes were more than Thompson offered to the highly-acclaimed fitness expert Steve Black when he was sacked earlier in the season.
The latest departures come hard on the heels of the revelation that Thompson sold the ground to Northern Rock for £15m last year to pay off the club's debts.
The Falcons now have Kingston Park on a ten-year lease, but the fact that Northern Rock paid what is generally considered three times over the odds for the land invites speculation about the ground's future.
While the timing was a coincidence, there must be a possibility that Wilkinson will now be offered a chance to take on some coaching duties.
He recently signed a new twoyear contract and as he has struggled on the international stage following his debilitating run of injuries, the possibility that his England career is coming to an end will increase Newcastle's determination to make maximum use of him.
He was initially brought to the club by Bates, who taught him at school in Surrey, and the wheel has now come full circle for Rob Andrew's former No 2.
Having played with Andrew at Wasps, Bates accompanied him to Newcastle when Sir John Hall took over the club in 1995.
Bates was involved in their 1998 Premiership-winning campaign and the 2001 Tetley's Bitter Cup triumph, but when the team were struggling the following season someone had to carry the can.
As Andrew was seen as untouchable, it was Bates who was sacked, much to his annoyance.
Having spent three years as director of rugby at Scottish side Border Reivers, where he achieved Heineken Cup qualification on the lowest budget in the competition, he coached Scotland A to Churchill Cup victory over England in 2006 before returning to Kingston Park as coaching and technical director.
This season has also seen Bates take charge as head coach of the England Saxons side, where he has enjoyed a 100 per cent record.
Thompson was credited with saving the club when it was in danger of being wound up after Hall bailed out in 1999.
A former Novos prop who made his millions from a range of companies, including management consultancy Druid Systems, Thompson bought Hall's 76 per cent stake but has been frustrated by the club's failure to get out of the bottom half of the Premiership in recent seasons.
Although Leeds' struggles mean there is no danger of relegation, the fact that the Falcons are currently third from the bottom has prompted Fletcher's exit.
The timing is unfortunate, however, as their next two games are against sides below them.
It is a safe bet that Thompson's personal fortune has dwindled during his nine years at the club, and when he promoted Fletcher from academy boss prior to last season it was widely seen as a cost-saving measure following Andrew's departure to Twickenham.
While other Premiership clubs had high-profile coaches, often from overseas, Fletcher was handed the chance to be the local lad made good.
It was asking a lot of him, and while the club are proud of their record of bringing players like Toby Flood and Mathew Tait through the academy, they had to draft in three overseas forwards last season in Russell Winter, Brent Wilson and Mark Sorensen.
Then last summer they gambled by making an expensive signing in the man reputed to be the world's best prop, ex-All Black Carl Hayman. But he didn't arrive until a month after the World Cup, by which time the season had taken shape.
Falcons forward Geoff Parling has signed a new one-year deal.
The 24-year-old has featured at both flanker and lock this season, scoring three tries in 20 starts and three bench appearances.
Parling came through the Falcons Academy after attending Ian Ramsey School in Stockton.
He also studied at Durham School.