Goals Soccer Centres

Goals Soccer Centres (trading as Goals) is an operator of dedicated 5-a-side football centres based in Glasgow, Scotland,^[1][2] with 45 locations in the UK and four in Los Angeles.^[3]

History

The origins of the industry go back to 1987 when Keith Rogers, co-founder of Goals, opened the world's first 5-a-side football centre in Paisley under the brand name of Pitz.^[4] The business grew and was sold to venture capitalists for £38 million in 1999, which then rebranded the business Powerleague. Keith Rogers thereafter led an Management buy-in of an existing small local five-a-side football business in Glasgow the following year to create Goals Soccer Centres based in East Kilbride. He subsequently grew the business to 46 centres in the UK and launched the business in the US opening two centres in Southgate and Pomona and developing a pipeline of sites (Rancho Cucamonga and Covina) for future expansion.

In 2012 shareholders rejected a bid by Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan and Keith Rogers to take the company private.^[5] Rogers left Goals at the end of 2016.

In October 2019, following financial problems and accusations of fraud against co-founders, former chief executive Keith Rogers and finance chief Bill Gow by auditor BDO, it was announced that Goals Soccer Centres was being acquired by a Inflexion Private Equity and competitor Soccerworld through a company vehicle, Northwind 5s Limited.^[6][7]

References