HARTLEPOOL UNITED could be taken down by the Inland Revenue next month.

The club, rudderless off the pitch, up for sale and out of money, is facing a tax bill in mid-February of around £48,000.

And as things stand, the club will not have the money to pay it. That in turn would mean the likelihood of administration as government officials seek payment for the debt.

A proposed deal to safeguard the club’s future, put together by Hartlepool-born businessman Chris Musgrave collapsed on Tuesday.

He feels unable to help after being unable to decipher the exact level of funding needed to safe the club.

Musgrave said: “I have not been able to identify the exact amount of cash I would be required to make available to save the club.’’

There has been no fresh talks with Musgrave and none are on the agenda. There are, at present, no firm interested parties willing to step in.

While there has been some tentative interest, the chances of any prospective owners being at the level of Musgrave’s proposed plan are slim.

The club’s honorary president Jeff Stelling last week met an interested party and the interest remains, but there is still some way to go to secure any sort of involvement.

Pools’ chairwoman Pam Duxbury is understood to have been spending time in the last 48 hours trying to ensure some sort of clarity with the club’s finances, but she has not been seen at Victoria Park.

Staff at the club are regularly fending off local businesses seeking payment for outstanding bills and invoices which have been ignored in recent weeks and months by the club’s figurehead.

It is understood that even basic utility bills have not been paid. The fund-raising campaign, which stands at over £77,000 on line, will cover staff wages which are due today.

Once that pot is dry, then the problems will really start – such as the VAT bill.

Darlington have made an approach to Pools over the possibility of a fund-raising friendly. Six years ago this week, Pools offered to send a team to play Quakers in their hour of need. That plan, however, was scuppered by the police. Quakers officials have approached the Pools’ Supporters Trust to offer advice of their own experiences.

Stelling, at Chester for Tuesday’s 1-1 draw, said: "It's catastrophic news for the club. I have spoken to Chris and understand his reasons completely that he feels he needs to have some idea of what he was getting into and how much money he would be expected to plunge into the club.

"He comes from the same estate as me, Rift House, he's desperate to do something for the club but he just felt things weren't transparent enough.’’

Pools’ goal on Tuesday was scored by Michael Woods. The points keeps Pools seven points above the drop zone, but if they enter administration a ten-point deduction would drop them into a relegation scrap.

He said: “We all have to find out what is going on behind the scenes. I was gutted when I found out the deal was off – I had friends and family texting me asking if I’d seen the news.

“It was all done, and at the 11th hour it’s off. You are left thinking…

“I go back to pride, professional pride, and you need to win and you have to win your battles on the pitch no matter is what going on off it. Tuesday felt like two points dropped.

“We know we are going to be paid, that’s sorted. To be honest you see the lengths people are going to and you don’t want it to be wasted.

“It’s really humbling, it really is. I have had mates text me, those I went to school with, who have put £20. They don’t have an affiliation with Hartlepool, but they appreciate what it means.

“There’s people who have been here for years and they deserve so much better. Hopefully, fingers crossed, someone steps in.’’

HUST are holding an open meeting on Monday at the Corporation Club in the town from 7.30. The current state of the club and a plan for the future will be discussed, with invited guests including former players and manager of the club, as well as a representative of supporters direct.