Gooooooooooooal (Goals Soccer Centres)

Member Name: GeordieNick

Product:	Goals Soccer Centres
Date:	03/08/09 (79 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent facilities, Looks great, Well organised leagues, Immaculate pitches

Disadvantages: Goals could be a bit higher, Price. Tarmac balls getting your trainers!

Goals Soccer Centres, usually referred to as just Goals, are soccer centres with several five a side pitches and often a seven a side pitch where members of the public can play with friends or competitively in leagues. Goals Soccer Centres are the most successful commercial five a side operator in Europe. In partnership with Umbro and FourFourTwo, Goals currently has thirty one branches spanning the United Kingdom with another four more currently under construction. It's biggest branch in Leeds claims to deal with just under 380 teams for their leagues.

The branch closest to where I live, and fortunately just a short walk from my home, is the Wimbledon branch which was one of the first branches to launch. I have been going there for a number of years during my childhood in my Newcastle shirt pretending I am playing at St. James Park and I really enjoy it. At off peak times, if you take ten friends it will cost you a few pounds each unless you're lucky enough to get a discount because of where you work. A friend of mine works at Waitrose and can book a pitch at an off peak time for just ten pounds for everyone. It is a bit more expensive in the evening when most of the leagues run at about six pounds per person, that is if there is a pitch available. Goals centres react to demand, so if there is demand for another Monday night division they will open one. At my Wimbledon branch for each weekday there are a fair few divisions with the usually funny team names involved such as Inter Yernan as a play on Inter Milan. If you are in a league they will charge you on the day you are playing and usually for kits and an initial cost as well.

It is not just for casual kick abouts with friends or an organised league setup every week and then off to the bar in the centre though. You can also organise parties at Goals where once paid for you can use the premises for food as well as the football party with one of the staff.

Now I know I am talking about my branch, Wimbledon, but I have been to a few Goals branches and they all look remarkably similar in layout. The reception, bar, changing rooms and facilities all look in immaculate and fresh condition and look very professional. The pitch condition is always very good with the astroturf being maintained by tiny black balls with a tarmac feel. These are a pain at the end when you take your shoes off and you end up emptying loads of black balls out of your shoes. Don't worry though as you can not feel them. The pitches are about the size of your average five a side pitch, blocked off by walls up to your chest and netting from there. The centre spot, penalty areas and penalty spots are clearly marked out in white and the goal nets come out rather than being pushed into the wall. In my opinion the goals could do with being higher and a tiny bit narrower but this is down to personal preference. I much prefer being on the seven a side pitch with the bigger goals and more space to play but I do enjoy both.

Of course Goals is not a cheap option and you can easily go to the park and put the jumpers down for goal posts. But whether you want a good organised kick about or a nice competitive setup, Goals is pure quality.

Summary: A great high quality five a side soccer centre.