Extension to deadline for Canada takeover bid of Goals Soccer Centres

Goals Soccer Centres, which has 42 UK sites, including ones in Leeds, Hull, Sheffield and Bradford, said it had received an approach from Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan at the beginning of April – but added the interest was at an early stage and that there was no certainty an offer will be forthcoming.

Shares in East Kilbride-based Goals dipped around 1 per cent after it said the deadline for Ontario Teachers to submit a bid had been extended to May 14. It currently has a market value of around £61m.

Ontario Teachers is already home to a number of leading Canadian sports assets, including the Toronto FC Major League Soccer team. The business invests the pension assets and administers the pensions of 295,000 active and retired teachers in Ontario.

Goals experienced softer than expected trading over last summer but a marketing campaign under the ‘Get Back in the Game’ banner resulted in a turnaround in fortunes over the remainder of last year. A typical Goals centre has between nine and 14 floodlit courts with pitches made from artificial grass.