JD Sports Regulatory News (JD.)

11 May 2005 12:03

Pentland Group PLC11 May 2005 Not for release, publication or distribution in or into the United States,Canada, Australia or Japan 11 May 2005 CASH OFFER BY GOLDMAN SACHS INTERNATIONAL ON BEHALF OF MANCHESTER SQUARE ENTERPRISES LIMITED FOR THE JOHN DAVID GROUP PLC City Code Rule 2.5(b)(viii) Statement Manchester Square Enterprises Limited ("Manchester"), a wholly owned subsidiaryof Pentland Group Plc, this morning announced its cash offer to acquire theordinary share capital of The John David Group Plc ("JD") and has subsequentlyannounced that the Offer is unconditional as to acceptances. Further to thoseannouncements and pursuant to Rule 2.5(b)(viii) of the City Code on Takeoversand Mergers (the "City Code"), Manchester reminds investors of their obligationsunder Rule 8 as follows: Under the provisions of Rule 8.3 of the City Code any person who, alone oracting together with any other person(s) pursuant to an agreement orunderstanding (whether formal or informal) to acquire or control relevantsecurities of JD, owns or controls, or becomes the owner or controller, directlyor indirectly of one per cent or more of any class of securities of JD (or inany option in respect of, or derivative referred to, any such securities) isrequired to disclose to a Regulatory Information Service and the Panel of everydealing in such securities until such time as the offer period ends for thepurposes of the City Code. If required, any disclosures should be made on anappropriate form by no later than 12 noon London time of the business dayfollowing the date of the dealing transaction. These disclosures should be sentto a Regulatory Information Service with a copy sent (by fax or email) to thePanel (fax number +44 (0) 20 7236 7013, email: monitoring@disclosure.org.uk). Under the provisions of Rule 8.1 of the City Code, all dealings in relevantsecurities of JD by Manchester or JD, or by any of their respective associates(within the meaning of the City Code) must also be disclosed. If you are in any doubt as to the application of Rule 8 to you, please contactan independent financial adviser authorised under the Financial Services andMarkets Act 2000, consult the Panel's website at www.the takeoverpanel.org.ukor contact the Panel on telephone number +44 (0) 20 7638 0129; fax +44 (0) 207236 7013. Terms defined in the Offer Document dated 11 May 2005 have the same meaningswhen used herein unless the context requires otherwise. - Ends - Enquiries Hogarth Partnership Limited (for Manchester) 020 7357 9477 John OlsenGeorgina Briscoe Goldman Sachs International 020 7774 1000 Guy SlimmonDaniel Yealland Goldman Sachs International is authorised and regulated by the FinancialServices Authority in respect of regulated activities. Goldman SachsInternational is acting exclusively for the Pentland Group and no one else inconnection with the Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than thePentland Group for providing the protections afforded to clients of GoldmanSachs International or for providing advice in relation to the Offer. The availability of the Offer to persons not resident in the UK may be affectedby the laws of the relevant jurisdiction in which they are resident. Persons whoare not resident in the UK should obtain advice and observe any applicablerequirements. The Offer is not being made, directly or indirectly, in or intothe United States, Canada, Australia or Japan, or by use of the mails, or by anymeans or instrumentality (including, without limitation, facsimile transmission,electronic mail, telex or telephone) of interstate or foreign commerce, or byany facility of a national securities exchange, of the United States, Canada,Australia or Japan, and the Offer will not be capable of acceptance by any suchuse, means, instrumentality or facility from or within the United States,Canada, Australia or Japan. Accordingly, copies of the Offer Document and theForm of Acceptance are not being, and must not be, mailed or otherwisedistributed or sent in, into or from the United States, Canada, Australia orJapan and persons receiving such documents (including custodians, nominees andtrustees) must not distribute or send them in, into or from the United States,Canada, Australia or Japan as so doing will make invalid any purportedacceptance of the Offer by persons in any such jurisdiction. This announcement does not constitute an offer or invitation to purchase anysecurities. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange