The ‘Pioneer Legacy’ initiative celebrates individuals who have made a lasting impact on the industry through the GMA’s NextGen group, formerly known as the GMA Young Board.

Each Pioneer Mark is uniquely numbered and represents the individual’s contribution to supporting the next generation of grounds people.

The presentation of John’s award is particularly timely during National Apprenticeship Week, which highlights the crucial role apprenticeships play in creating career pathways in the industry. Ledwidge, himself, began his career as an apprentice at Coventry City Football Club and, after 18 months away, returned as Grounds Manager where he was also part of the first GMA Young Board cohort between 2011-2014.

As the group’s inaugural chair, he played a key role in laying the foundations for its evolution into GMA NextGen which supports and develops emerging talent within the industry.

Since his time with the Young Board, Ledwidge has progressed through senior positions at Leicester City Football Club and is now Head of Grounds and Landscapes at Manchester City Football Club. A strong advocate for supporting the future of the industry, he has also been a supporter of the Football Foundation since 2022.

Jennifer Carter, Director of Communications and Marketing at the GMA, said: “John’s journey not only with the GMA but within the industry highlights his dedication to the profession and his ability to inspire meaningful change. As the first chair of the Young Board, he showed great leadership that set the foundation for GMA NextGen. Seeing his achievements recognised with Pioneer Mark #001 is a proud moment for everyone who has worked alongside him."

Commenting on the award, John Ledwidge said: “It is a genuine honour to be awarded with the #001 pioneer mark from the GMA. As the first chair of the young board and part of the founding group, we created something that had never been done before, hopefully laying the foundations for today’s NextGen group to continue the legacy we left. Personally, I feel we all have a responsibility to encourage and develop new and emerging talent and to share our knowledge and expertise with them. I have always been proud of what I do and will always be grateful for the opportunities this wonderful industry has given me and my family, so it is such a pleasure to receive this recognition from the GMA.”

For more information about the Pioneer Legacy initiative or GMA NextGen, please visit thegma.org.uk/who/ambassadors.