The five-a-side football centre operator, Goals Soccer Centres has noted an increase in pre-tax profits of 355 per cent for the year ended 2005 – to £2.8m from £0.6m at the end of 2004.

The company saw sales up 35 per cent on 2004 figures – to £11.2m from £8.3m – and like for like sales grew by 9 per cent.

Goals has maintained a steady rollout plan since its flotation on the AIM stock market in December 2004, and now runs 18 sites across the country.

The company also announced two new official partnerships – with equipment manufacturer Umbro and sports drink Powerade, which will be the official sports drink of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

It has opened seven centres since flotation – representing a capital investment of around £8.6m – with four sites due to open in 2006, and a further five scheduled for 2007.

Its first centre of 2006 was opened last week by sports minister, Richard Caborn.

The £3.6m facility is located in the grounds of the All Saints School in central Sheffield and features two multi-use sports halls, which will also be managed by Goals, as well as 10 floodlit outdoor five-a-side pitches.

The scheme was developed in partnership with the Big Lottery Fund, which funded around half of the cost.