SCOTLAND'S first indoor five-a-side football pitches are to be built in Glasgow at a cost of £2million.

Eight pitches, laid with state-of-the-art rubber flooring, will be built along with a bar, offices, changing rooms and children's area on former playing fields at Whitehill School in the East End.

Bothwell-based Northwind Leisure Soccer is behind the country's first Soccerworld, which was given the go-ahead by city planners yesterday.

The company says it will allow schools and disadvantaged groups to use the sports facility free of charge.

The new centre, which will create around 40 jobs and should be open in two years, will operate on a pay-as-you-play basis.

Bosses said in a letter to the city council: "Football is arguably the national and most popular sport in Scotland.

"At present there are over 15 outdoor soccer centres in Scotland however somewhat surprisingly due to our climate, there are as yet no indoor centres of this kind."

"It is estimated 70% of our target market no longer play football so the creation of the soccer centre should create a whole new generation of football playing enthusiasts."

A youth soccer academy will be set up in association with the SFA, along with summer camps for children, inter school competitions, youth league programmes and celebrity coaching camps.

For adults, there will be leagues, cup competitions and national events for competitive footballers and - for the less serious - opportunities to book a regular time to play.

Northwind Leisure added: "The aim is to provide footballers with a first-class five-a-side facility of the highest quality which other sportsmen have come to expect.

"Soccerworld has offered to allow local schools free use of the soccer centre Monday to Friday between 9am and 4pm.

"This offer is also available to all local disadvantaged groups in the area."

While Kevin Keegan's Soccer Circus centre at Braehead is indoors, it bills itself as an interactive football experience rather than offering standard pitches.