The five-a-side football centre operator reported flat profits for the year to June and said the focus for the coming year would be consolidating its current position.

Powerleague, of Paisley, said profits had remained steady at £5m on sales of £26.3m, a 14% rise in sales from the year before.

Powerleague has opened four new centres over the past year and bought JJB Soccer Domes from JJB Sports for £17m in February which added a further five centres. It now operates 44 centres across the UK.

Sean Tracey, the chief executive, said the group would slow its rate of expansion and was not looking to open any centres in the coming year but was still open to opportunities in areas where there was no five-a-side facility.

The company said aspects of the slowdown were beginning to have an impact. While its revenues from pitch sales were up 2% over the year, sales at its bar facilities were beginning to fall.

Powerleague hosts 130,000 five-a-side players a week and reckons low costs — with games costing an average £5 a head — will help stave off a slowdown.

Income from sponsorship and events with brands like Nivea and Carling increased by 9% and are expected to grow further in the current year.

The company has debt of £38.4m, up from £18.5m a year ago, and intends to cut this to £35m by the end of the year. Its share price ended the week on 34.25p.

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