Swansea City forward Josh Ginnelly recently visited Swansea City AFC Foundation’s Talk Club to offer his support for the men’s mental health programme and open up about the difficulties he has faced while injured.
Talk Club is a weekly catch-up event that provides a safe space for men to share, listen, and work to improve their mental health in a small, supportive group.
The sessions always begin with the question: “How are you?” Out of ten? Encourage the group to express how they are feeling, with the goal of checking out with a higher score at the end of the session.
Everyone has mental health, and there are numerous elements that can influence how someone feels, with injury being a major concern for footballers in particular.
Ginnelly has been out since September with an Achilles injury, which has presented physical and mental hurdles, as he explained at Talk Club.
“It was a good experience to meet the men here and get things off my chest, and also listen to them as well,” Ginnelly said.
“I believe a lot of men, myself included, feel alone when it comes to these topics and feel they can’t speak to people, so having this around the corner or nearby to you is something I’d absolutely recommend attending.
“We had a check-in at the beginning, and at the conclusion, everyone checked out with a greater number, so it’s extremely positive, and I’m thrilled to have been a part of it.
“From the moment we entered the room, everyone was bouncing off each other, making it feel safe to speak without fear of being judged, which I really loved.
“I would strongly recommend coming along. It is not aggressive in any sense; rather, it is really friendly. I’ve met some wonderful people who have come out and shared their difficulties with me, and I’ve shared mine with them, so this is a very important session.”
Robin O’Brien, the Foundation’s health and wellness officer, lauded the program’s effectiveness and expressed gratitude to Ginnelly for his beneficial impact.
“It can be quite a difficult thing to talk about, especially as I think there’s still a stigma around men’s mental health,” O’Brien said.
“I believe it has been fantastic for people to come into a safe environment and profit from it. Some of the males started seven to eight months ago and continue to come on a weekly basis.
“It was fantastic to hear how Josh has dealt with his injury. I found it quite encouraging and intriguing to hear things from his perspective, so we’re grateful that he could come and share that with us.”
Talk Club meets every Monday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Press Room at Swansea.com Stadium. To learn more, please contact Tony Sharpe at
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