Hartlepool United Supporters' Trust set to launch 'major national fundraising campaign'

Pools are in danger of going into administration if they do not find £200,000 by January 25, when player and staff wages, as well as bills, are due to be paid.

An online fundraising campaign set up by supporter Rachel Cartwright has already raised over £40,000.

The Supporters' Trust is now bidding to ensure the club can prosper in the longer-term, and says it will launch its own campaign in the coming days.

A statement released by the trust said: "The trust has a major national fundraising campaign prepared which was sanctioned by our members on December 31, 2017, and we expect to launch this in the next four to five days.

"Many of you will indeed have helped us with the promotional video for this which we filmed at the ground on January 1, 2018.

"Our campaign is not designed to supplant or hijack the excellent fundraising effort already going on in response to the club's appeal for £200,000 that they need by January 25.

"The reality is that those funds will only secure the future of the club this month, and not for the remaining months of the season.

"The HUST campaign is to raise money for a fighting fund to cover operational costs through to June."

Next Saturday's game against Wrexham at Victoria Park has been designated as Save Pools Day, when supporters are encouraged to turn up in their droves to show their backing.

The trust says that it believes Pools will find the £200,000 needed to see them through this month, and that it will launch a further update about its own campaign on Tuesday.

The statement added: "While it has been fantastic to witness the incredible generosity of the football community and the warmth shown towards the town and the club over the last week, we must not allow all this good work to go to waste.

"It would be a tragedy if the club was saved in January only to fold in February. We cannot, as supporters of the club, let that happen.

"We are expecting to launch our campaign using a fundraising platform supplied by Supporters Direct.

"The campaign has the backing of former players and managers, some of whom you will see during the promotion, and of course of the trust president Jeff Stelling, who you may have heard discussing the trust on local radio yesterday.

"We continue in discussions with potential investors and as previously advised will update further on Tuesday, January 16.

"We want to assure everyone that any money raised in our campaign will be administered by the trust, and used in the way that we are advised will best benefit Hartlepool United Football Club."

To donate to the currently active online fundraising effort, visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/savehartlepoolunitedfootballclub