Gino's Academy - Elite Football Training in the Midlands

Q: Where do sessions run?

Across the Midlands and Leicestershire, UK. The exact venue is confirmed with you when you book your session.

Q: How do I book?

Use the booking form on ginosacademy.com - pick a package, add your player's details and it sends straight to the academy on Instagram (@ginosacademy). You'll get times and availability straight back.

The Founder

Built through football.
Passed on to the next generation.

Josh ‘Gino’ Ginnelly grew up in Hilltop dreaming of becoming a professional footballer. From Aston Villa's academy to a professional debut at 17, national recognition as one of the country's most exciting young talents - and a move to Premier League Burnley.

What followed was a career built on far more than talent: promotion with Shrewsbury, a National League title with Lincoln, promotion at Wembley with Tranmere, Championship football, six Edinburgh derbies, a Scottish Championship title, two Scottish Cup finals, a goal and assist at Hampden against Celtic, and European nights against sides like Fiorentina. At Hearts he produced 22 goals in 89 appearances before earning his move to Swansea City.

Football showed him the other side too - loans, rejection, fighting for contracts, and a ruptured Achilles that took him out of the game for over a year, just after scoring on his Swansea home debut. Along the way he learned under managers from Sean Dyche to Alex Neil and Steven Naismith - different coaches, different philosophies, different levels. One lesson became clear: the best players need the freedom to be themselves.

Gino's Academy combines that professional experience with a player-first philosophy built around enjoyment, freedom and individualism - improving technique, intelligence and mentality without coaching away what makes each player unique. That's the competitive edge.

Josh Ginnelly celebrating a goal for Heart of Midlothian — Josh ‘Gino’ Ginnelly - Founder

10+

Professional clubs

200+

Senior appearances

’21

Scottish Championship winner

Countries played in

’21 Scottish Championship winner Scottish Cup finalist Europa League & Conference League League Two promotion 2× National League promotion

The Journey

Every step earned.

2006
Aston Villa Academy
Leaves Hilltop as a schoolboy to join Villa's academy - the first step of a professional education.
2014
Shrewsbury Town
A professional debut at 17 - and promotion in his first season. The dream becomes a job.
2015
Burnley
Signed by Premier League Burnley as a teenager - and sent out to earn his stripes in men's football.
2017
Lincoln City
Silverware - part of the Lincoln squad that lifted the National League title and took the club back into the Football League.
2018
Tranmere Rovers
Promotion at Wembley - in the Tranmere side that won the play-off final and climbed back into the Football League.
2018
Walsall
A permanent move and regular league football.
2019
Preston North End
Back in the Championship, plus a loan spell at Bristol Rovers.
2020
Heart of Midlothian
The breakout years - 22 goals in 89 appearances, the 2020-21 Scottish Championship title, two Scottish Cup finals and European nights in maroon.
2023
Swansea City
Two Carabao Cup goals in his first month - then the hardest opponent of his career: a ruptured Achilles, and the long road back from it.
2026
Gino's Academy
After a first chapter abroad in Azerbaijan with Turan Tovuz, the journey comes full circle - back home to the Midlands, developing the next generation.

Who we coach

Every age. Every level.

From a first pair of boots to professional trials - sessions are pitched exactly where your player is now, and built to move them up.

Beginner

First touches, confidence with the ball, and falling in love with the game.

Intermediate

Grassroots and club players sharpening technique, speed and decision-making.

Pro Level

Academy prospects training to professional standards - the level Gino lived.

Age groups · U6 - U18

U6-U8

Foundations

Fun first - balance, coordination and a ball at the feet.

U9-U12

Development

Technique takes centre stage - touch, passing, 1v1s.

U13-U15

Performance

Position-specific work, game intelligence and physicality.

U16-U18

Pro Pathway

Trial-ready training - standards, mentality and next steps.

From the founder

The Gino’s Way.

Young players need standards, discipline and great coaching. But they also need the confidence to take risks, make decisions, express themselves and develop their own style of play.

One of Gino's former managers, Alex Neil, spoke about giving him structure while still allowing him the freedom to express himself. That philosophy stayed with him.

At Gino's Academy, we don't want players arriving afraid to make mistakes. We want them arriving confident. Hungry. Excited to learn. And determined to become the best player they can be.

Our job is to develop technique, intelligence and mentality - without coaching away what makes each player special.

Josh Ginnelly driving forward with the ball for Swansea City

The best players need the freedom to be themselves.

Mindset

Confidence, resilience and a winning mentality that lasts a lifetime.

Development

Elite training designed to improve every part of your game.

Personal

We see the person before the player - and support both, on and off the pitch.

Opportunity

Doors opened and pathways built for players to reach the next level.

Community

A team, a support system, a brotherhood that has your back.

The vision

Gino's Academy isn't about creating the same player 12 times. It's about helping every player discover how good they can become.

I look forward to going on this journey with you. Thank you.

Gino

Josh ‘Gino’ Ginnelly · Founder

Our coaching philosophy

Everything we do is built on three things.

Enjoyment

Players should love coming to training, enjoy the challenge and build confidence through football. Development happens faster when players are engaged, motivated and enjoying the game.

Freedom

Football has become too robotic. We want players to think, make decisions, take risks and express themselves without fear of making mistakes.

Individualism

Every player is different. Too often, unique strengths are coached out of players to fit someone else's idea of what they should be. We focus on developing the qualities that make each player unique.

Enjoy the game. Play with freedom. Build confidence. Develop your own identity.

Sessions

Pick your path.

Delivered by Gino and our elite qualified coaches - rotating to give players different experiences, perspectives and challenges.

Reserved weekly place

Academy Membership

A development session every week with Gino and our elite coaches - groups capped at 12 so every player is heavily involved and genuinely improving.

£78per month · 1 session a week

Book this

Elite Coaching with Gino

Smaller numbers, more detail, higher intensity - a group of six, a pair, or fully individual. Every elite session personally coached by Gino.

£401-to-1 or 2-to-1 per player · 45 mins · elite group £32pp

Book this

Coming soon

Sharpshooter Sundays

Finishing, goals, tournaments, challenges and fun games - two relaxed hours of competition and expression, every Sunday.

£18per player · max 16

Player Assessment £40 £15 credit if you join within 24h Places deliberately limited

Sessions & Prices

Simple, honest pricing.

More than just football sessions - a development environment built around enjoyment, freedom and individualism.

Academy Membership

1 development session every week

£78/month

Sessions are delivered by Gino (founder) and our elite qualified coaches - with coaches rotating to give players different experiences, perspectives and challenges.

Groups are limited to a maximum of 12 players to protect the quality of our coaching. We want every player heavily involved, getting plenty of touches and genuinely improving.

Membership includes

Reserved weekly Academy training place
Priority booking for limited coaching slots
Priority access to Elite Small Groups & special sessions
First access to Gino's Academy kit
Priority access to new Academy sessions
Priority access to Elite 1-to-1 & 2-to-1 coaching

Elite Small Groups, 1-to-1s and 2-to-1s are additional services and are not included within the monthly membership.

Elite coaching - personally coached by Gino

Elite Small Group

£32

per player · maximum 6 players

1-to-1 Development

£40

45 minutes with Coach Gino

2-to-1 Development

£40

per player · 45 minutes with Coach Gino

Why 45 minutes? 1-to-1 and 2-to-1 sessions are deliberately kept short. With every rep focused on one or two players, concentration naturally drops beyond 45 minutes - so we keep sessions sharp, intense and worth every minute.

Player Assessment

Understand the player - strengths, development areas, and the best starting point for their journey

Join within 24 hours and receive £15 back in Academy account credit.

£40one-off

Sharpshooter Sundays

Coming soon

Our more relaxed development sessions - less coaching detail, more freedom, competition and enjoyment. Two hours for players who love scoring goals, competing and expressing themselves.

Sundays · 12-2pm or 2-4pm (time TBC) £18 per player Maximum 16 players

FinishingGoalsCompetitionsTournamentsChallengesFun games

Places across Gino's Academy are deliberately limited to protect the quality of our coaching and the experience of every player

Book your spot

Book a session

Get your spot.

Pick a package, tell us about your player, and send it straight to the academy - Gino replies with times and availability.

First session offer Start with the £40 Player Assessment - join within 24 hours and get £15 back in Academy account credit.

Pick your package

Membership£78 / month · weekly session Assessment£40 · £15 credit in 24h Elite Small Group£32 per player · max 6 1-to-1£40 · 45 mins with Gino 2-to-1£40 per player · 45 mins Sharpshooter Sundays£18 · register interest Not sure yetGino will point you right

Player's first name

Player's age

Parent / guardian name

Contact number (optional)

Anything else? (optional)

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Send via Instagram DM

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Academy Life

More than a session.

Players don't just turn up and train - they belong to something. Every detail is built to make young players feel like pros.

Gino's Academy Player of the Month certificate

Session Loyalty Card
Every session stamped on the spot - your 10th session is free.
Player of the Month
A certificate signed by Gino himself for the player who sets the standard.
Progress Reports
Development tracked session by session and shared with parents - so you can see the improvement, not just hear about it.
Fitness Testing & Holiday Camps
Benchmarks through the season and camps in every school holiday, all year round.

Put your name on it

Every player earns their shirt.

Type your player's name and squad number and see it on the back. Screenshot it, send it to them - then come and earn it for real.

Name

Number

For Parents

Questions, answered.

Who are the sessions for?

Players from U6 to U18, at every level - complete beginners, club players, and academy prospects training to pro standards. 1-to-1 sessions are tailored entirely to the individual player.

Where do sessions run?

Across the Midlands and Leicestershire. The exact venue is confirmed with you when you book your session.

How do I book?

Use the booking form - pick a package, add your player's details and it sends straight to the academy on Instagram. Or just message @ginosacademy directly. Either way you'll get times and availability straight back.

What should players bring?

Boots or astros, shin pads and a water bottle. Training equipment is provided.

How does membership work?

The Academy Membership is £78 a month for a reserved development session every week, delivered by Gino and our elite qualified coaches, with groups capped at 12 players. Members get priority booking for coaching slots and priority access to Elite Small Groups, special sessions, new sessions and Academy kit. Elite Small Groups, 1-to-1s and 2-to-1s are additional services booked separately.

What about safeguarding?

Every child's welfare comes first. Coaching runs with an enhanced DBS check and first-aid provision in place, parents are always welcome to stay and watch - including 1-to-1s - and no photos of players are ever shared without a guardian's written consent. Read the full safeguarding policy.

What about bad weather?

If conditions make a session unsafe or unplayable, we'll rearrange it with you directly - just message the academy.

Train with
a pro.

Built through football.
Passed on to the next generation.

Every step earned.

The standard.