CONNOR SIMPSON has completed his move from Hartlepool United to Preston North End – bringing a much-needed boost to the club’s ailing finances.

The striker’s move on a two-and-a-half-year deal, revealed two weeks ago in The Northern Echo, is understood to be worth £65,000 to the club at a time when they admit administration is likely.

Administration and the automatic 10-point deduction would drop Pools into a relegation battle in the National League.

Fund-raising efforts from football supporters across the country and beyond has reached over £15,000 in little over 24 hours since an on-line Just Giving page was formed by supporter Rachel Cartwright.

And the club, which needs to raise around £200,000 to pay wages and a tax bill by January 25, has issued a statement painting a bleak picture.

It reads: “The current financial position of the club is challenging, and we whole-heartedly appreciate the way not only our own fans but fans from other clubs have rallied together to help Hartlepool United Football Club at this time.

“Everyone at the club has worked tirelessly to find a new owner in recent months and this hard work will continue.

“The current owner has provided significant funding to the club but unfortunately a change of ownership is required.

“We need as many genuine people as possible to join together to buy the club but if a consortium or a buyer cannot be found in the near future, administration is a very real prospect.

“In the meantime, thank you once again to all of you who have shown your true heart, your efforts have not gone unnoticed or unappreciated by the club.’’

All monies raised in the coming weeks will go to pay wages to both playing and non-playing staff at the club, as well as the VAT bill.

Lifelong Pools fan and town businessman Dave Hudson has donated £1,000 online, while plenty of Middlesbrough fans have already contributed and are planning to attend Pools’ next game with Wrexham a week on Saturday.

When Boro were in financial dire straits in 1986, Pools allowed them to use Victoria Park for their first game of the season and Boro supporters are showing their appreciation in Pools’ hour of need.

Both Delta Coaches and Coatham Coaches are laying on free transport for Boro fans to Victoria Park for the game.

A number of former Pools players have supported the cause on social media.

Former loan striker Jordan Hugill has donated for auction the shirt he wore in the famous win over Exeter City in May 2015 which secured an unlikely Great Escape from relegation.

Nathan Thomas, who moved to Sheffield United in the summer for £150,000, has handed over his away shirt from the following campaign to be auctioned off.

And Sir Geoff Hurst, England’s 1966 World Cup winner, has also encouraged football fans to donate to the cause.

Brighton fans have been contributing, after not forgetting their own Fans United, when Pools visited the Goldstone Ground in 1997 and lost 5-0 on a day when the football family rallied around the Seagulls.

Pools home game with Wrexham has been tagged #savepoolsday on Twitter.

A public meeting has been called for Tuesday evening at the Steelworks Club from 7.30pm to discuss fund raising plans, which will be chaired by former Pools assistant boss and BBC Tees summariser Eddie Kyle, who is keen to bring the different supporters’ groups together.

The club’s chairman Pam Duxbury was earlier this week invited to the Civic Centre for a meeting with council officials.

A Hartlepool Borough Council statement read: “The council recognises the importance of a successful football club to the town and the local economy.

“We have been having on-going discussions with Hartlepool United FC and we are considering a range of options for supporting the club in its attempts to overcome the urgent financial issues it is currently facing.”