Fifteen days to save Hartlepool United - Pools must find £200,000 to stave off threat of administration

And unless outside investment is found, or owner John Blackledge again dips into his own pocket to keep Pools afloat, the immediate future of the club hangs in the balance, it is understood.

On January 25, the club’s players and staff are due to be paid.

A number of other bills are also due on that date.

But, as things stand, the Mail has learned Pools do not have anywhere close to that kind of cash in the coffers.

As a result, they are at risk of defaulting on those payments and it is understood administrators could be called in.

The financial situation at the club severely worsened at the end of last year when owner John Blackledge, under the banner of Sage Investments, decided he had taken the club as far as he could.

It came after he had pumped what is believed to be £1.8m of his own fortune into Pools since acquiring it from JPNG and Gary Coxall.

Last month he put Pools up for sale.

And while the bills and payroll for December were covered, January has seen Pools struggle to meet financial commitments.

Alerted by reports of financial trouble at Victoria Park, Hartlepool Borough Council summoned Pools chief executive Pam Duxbury in for a crisis meeting yesterday to explain the state of play at the club.