Sports Direct accuses Goals Soccer Centres management of ‘skulduggery’

Mike Ashley’s retail firm launched a stinging blindside on the five-a-side-football pitch operator, two days after confirming he had not intention to buy the business.

In the blistering tirade, the retail tycoon said that Goals and its board “did not truly engage” with the offer process, describing their co-operation as “limited and fitful”.

In a statement, Sports Direct said: “From the beginning, the attitude of the Goals board made no sense, including proclamations to senior management of Sports Direct that the issues impacting on, and leading to the catastrophic failure of, the business had only been perpetuated by one person.

“Yet again, the independent shareholders of a UK listed company get wiped out through the skulduggery of others.

“As these constant corporate failures show, the current rules and regulations do not do enough to protect independent shareholders or to prevent fiscal irresponsibility.”