FOOTBALL fans from across the country are getting behind Hartlepool United’s battle to avoid administration – and leading the support is North-East neighbours Middlesbrough.

Boro supporters are keen to help pay a historical debt so are rallying behind their non-league counterparts to help them survive.

Hartlepool loaned Middlesbrough their Victoria Ground home – now known as Victoria Park – in 1986 when Ayresome Park’s gates were locked during a liquidation crisis.

Now Hartlepool are in dire need of help and investment after the club was put up for sale by Sage Investments and benefactor John Blackledge.

Hartlepool has to find around £200,000 to pay a tax bill in the next 15 days, while the club’s wages for both playing and non-playing staff are due to be paid on January 25.

A failure to do so would see the administrators called in, with the future of the 110-year-old club already in grave danger.

There has been huge support for a suggestion on social media that Middlesbrough supporters not travelling to Queens Park Rangers on January 20 should head for Victoria Park to make the visit of Wrexham a sell-out.

There have also been fundraising pages set up by Middlesbrough and Hartlepool supporters looking to buy the National League club some extended time to find a new owner, with other clubs' fans from across England contributing.

The Northern Echo: NEW ERA: Captain Mowbray leads Middlesbrough out for their ‘home’ match at Hartlepool following liquidation in 1986

MEMORIES: Tony Mowbray leads Boro out at the Victoria Ground in 1986

Lifelong Middlesbrough fan Rob Nichols was at Victoria Ground in 1986 when Middlesbrough drew 2-2 with Port Vale under the captaincy of Tony Mowbray.

Nichols, the editor of the Fly Me To The Moon fanzine, said: “Obviously in 1986 Hartlepool helped Middlesbrough out when we didn’t have a ground, we have long enough memories to be forever indebted for that.

“None of us would like to see our neighbours go to the wall, we look after our neighbours. Nobody likes to see another club go to the wall. Fans unite in these circumstances and it would be fantastic if the ground was totally full on that day with Middlesbrough away at QPR. Wonderful.

“It was the Victoria Ground when we played in 1986 and many of us remember going there, the fact it was a late kick-off, queuing up outside and waiting for the ground to clear after Hartlepool had played.”

It is understood that work is ongoing behind-the-scenes at Victoria Park to try to find a solution to the financial crisis. Board officials are appreciative of the response from fans and any fundraising efforts.

Despite interest from a few serious contenders to buy the club, nothing is imminent and the drive from within is to engineer some extra time to try to find a buyer.

Nichols said: “Thinking back to 1986 when Boro were so close to going out of business, it is really sad after all these years that there are still clubs going to the wall and in danger of it, it’s sadly desperate.”

There have also been Hartlepool supporters suggesting that rather than use their season ticket on January 20 they will buy a match ticket to help raise funds instead.

Hartlepool sit 17th in the National League and have lost six of their last eight matches. They are looking to offload players interesting other clubs this month, with Connor Simpson expected to head for Preston or Wolves. Jonathan Franks is wanted by York.