TREVOR CARSON saved Hartlepool United on many occasions during his two seasons at Victoria Park; now the goalkeeper may come to the club’s rescue in their hour of need.

Celtic are chasing the Motherwell goalkeeper – and Pools could pick up a welcome windfall from the sale. They are due a 40 per cent slice of any fee the Well get for the Northern Irish international.

Pools are also set to lose two players today, with Michael Woods heading to Stevenage and Nicky Deverdics moving to Wrexham.

Carson moved to Scotland after Pools relegation from the Football League in the summer for £20,000, with half the fee paid up front and half still outstanding.

But Pools’ head of recruitment Paul Watson negotiated the add-on as part of the deal, which could prove extremely lucrative.

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers is seeking a new goalkeeper with Craig Gordon sidelined for 12 weeks. Carson is top of his list and a bid of £200,000 has been rejected, with a fresh £375,000 offer lodged.

Upwards of that fee would satisfy the slice of the deal due to Pools and Well are seeking around £750,000 – which would go a long way to securing Pools’ future – although Celtic are unlikely go as high.

If Carson was sold for £500,000, a fee which would suit all parties, then Pools could earn £200,000.

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson said it would be a "nightmare scenario" to lose his goalkeeper.

"I spoke to Brendan yesterday after he had the courtesy to ring me. We then passed it over to the money men, [Motherwell chief executive] Alan Burrows and [Celtic chief executive] Peter Lawwell," Robinson said.

"They had a chat but realised our valuations were miles away from one another. That's as far as it has gone.

"Trevor is a Motherwell player and will stay a Motherwell player until our valuations are met.

"He is very much committed to Motherwell. He has two-and-a-half years left on his contract and it's 24 hours left until the close of the window.

"So people will be sold from this football club at the right price when we decide, not when others decide."

Woods will today join Steveange, after he netted two goals at the weekend to make it six in six for midfielder.

And Deverdics will remain in the National League, when he signs for Wrexham.

Moving the pair on will ease the burden on the club’s financial situation.

Pools are due to be slapped with a £48,000 tax bill in the coming days and currently don’t have the money to pay it, which would trigger the threat of a winding-up order from the Inland Revenue.

Staff and player wages were paid last week, and there is currently £83,500 in an online fundraising Just Giving page, which has yet to be released.

The club’s Supporters’ Trust held an open meeting on Monday for fans, where they expressed concern at a lack of communication from the club’s chairwoman Pam Duxbury. Members of the HUST committee have also met with the town’s MP Mike Hill to discuss the financial situation.

Pools have fallen into chaos in the three years since IOR sold the club to JPNG and Gary Coxall.

Ken Hodcroft, Pools’ former chairman, is saddened by the club’s demise.

He said: “We sold the club and wrote off £13m of debt, left money in the club, paid bills on time and had budget meetings every three months.

“JPNG and current owners don’t involve the staff as much, there’s no control over what staff can spend.

“It’s time for a new person to get involved, with the town at heart. If not, then administration and maybe looking at a Trust which has the interests at heart, but not the money.

“IOR would be willing to show anyone how they can run the club, to watch what is happening now is quite depressing really.’’