Following our First Team ending their season with a 2-1 win against Burnham here at the Rivermoor last Saturday, before we officially sign off our 2024/25 campaign there was the all-important Annual End of Season awards for our Senior Section.

The Annual Awards were held at the Rivermoor last night, and although Sheldon Baptiste’s Under 23s still have four games left to play this season, they too were in attendance.

Also in attendance were members of our Under 18s Squad & Management Team, with many of our Under 18s progressing to our First Team and Under 23s through our pathway to excellence this season, it was great to have them with us and highlights the club’s ethos that we are one club, one city.

Whilst our Under 18s won’t receive their End of Season Awards until our Annual Youth Presentation Day later on in May, it was lovely to have them with us ahead of a massive week where they could clinch the Allied Counties Youth Football League Central Division title.

Having only been appointed as Under 23s Manager at the beginning of the season, Sheldon Baptiste had the honour of opening up proceedings at his first annual end of season presentation evening.

The first award up for grabs was the Under 23s Manager’s Player of the Season. 

Sheldon Baptiste introduced the recipient of this award as “Someone who since the start of the season has really taken onboard the standards that myself and Mimi [Mimi Oladie, Under 23s Assistant Manager] , set for the group. Someone who has developed not only as player, but as a person. Someone from getting to know him has a really good support network away from football and as he goes on and grows into a very top, young man, I think he’ll go on to be a good footballer”.

He then announced Shot-Stopper Alex Collie as the Under 23s Managers’ Player of the Season.

A fantastic achievement for the eighteen year old, who has been a very safe pair of hands to have in goal this season, having made 20 appearances, he’s kept 5 clean sheets and they still have four games left to play.

Congratulations Alex.

The second award up for grabs was the Under 23s Players’ Player of the Season. 

Introducing the Award, Sheldon advised that this was an award voted for by the players. Sheldon told those who had gathered for our annual awards ceremony that the recipient of Players’ Player was another player that he felt had another exciting future ahead of them “as long as he continues to develop and really pushes himself as a player.”

Before announcing Andrew Tafeni as the Under 23s Players’ Player as voted for by his teammates.

The twenty year old has had a fantastic first season playing in Blue and White, where he’s not only represented the Under 23s but also made his debut for the First Team from the bench.

Congratulations Andrew.

Club Chairman, Martin Law then publicly thanked Sheldon and Mimi, explaining that upon their appointment at the start of the season “Sheldon and Mimi were set a target to achieve, which was to start bringing through the youth and help them develop, as the Under 23s should be about developing and bringing players through to the First Team”. Martin was proud to acclaim that it is working, it will work and next season it will be even stronger”.

He then went on to thank Sheldon and Mimi, before issuing a rallying call to those in attendance stating that “The Under 23s season is not over, and we need to give them as much support as possible to ensure we get to where we need to get to”.

It was then time for First Team Manager, Simon Johnson to present the awards for the First Team, kicking off with Top Goalscorer.

This season sees Lucas Wynn crowned Top Goalscorer. Wynn who is approaching his nineteenth Birthday next month, will be etched into our history books as the youngest player to ever win Top Goalscorer for the First Team.

2024/25 was Lucas’ First Season in Blue & White and to come away as a Top Goalscorer is a fantastic achievement.

Congratulations Lucas.

The next award up for grabs was Supporters’ Player of the Season, before presenting the award, Simon Johnson took a few minutes to reflect on the contribution our loyal supporters have played this season, particularly the arrival of our official groundhoppers who we’ve seen fly the flag for the club not only at our games whether it be at home or on the road, but across the country this season and were invited along to last night’s ceremony in recognition of their support.

Simon Johnson, then announced that Ellis Cowd had won the Supporters Player of the Season. Now in his seventh season, Ellis is a Club Stalwart and makes history by becoming the first player to win the Supporters Player of the Season Award twice, having previously taken home the coveted honour at the end of the 2022/23 Campaign.

Congratulations Els.

The next award was Manager’s Player of the Season, introducing the award Simon Johnson advised that despite being called the Manager’s Player award it is collectively picked by the entire Management Team.

Simon then went on to say that the recipient was “someone who I think has had a fantastic season and really grown in his role and for the first year, probably turned into a man on the pitch and become a little bit of a leader. Someone who has been consistent throughout, when he hasn’t been injured.”

He then announced Liam Baker as the Manager’s Player of the Season having been chosen by the entire First Team Management.

This Season marks Liam’s fifth season in season, having initially signed for us in 2020 the twenty five year old is now one of our longest serving players.

Congratulations Baker.

To end the awards, the final one to present was Players’ Player of the Season. Simon introduced the award to those who had gathered in the clubhouse for the evening as “The most important award, because it’s not just myself and the management team choosing it, it’s your peers choosing it”. He then went on to explain that the way they run Players’ Player is he asks for the top three players, if you get voted in first it qualifies as three points, second place qualifies as two points and if you get voted in third place, you get one point” and is therefore highly competitive.”

Johnson then explained that due to us not having the best year, there were a lot of players who received votes. He then introduced the recipient as “someone who was massively in with a shout for managers’ player, again it’s somebody who I think that goes quite under the radar and not really recognised by a lot, but his performances this year, some of them have been outrageous for the level that we play at, full credit to him for winning it”.

He then announced Luke Donville as Players’ Player of the Season.

This season, was the 22 year old’s third season representing our First Team. Luke is a product of Club Partner JMA Reading & initially signed for the First Team ahead of the 2022/23 season having come through the ranks of our Development Squad & Under 23s.

Congratulations LD.

To end the awards, Club Chairman Martin Law then addressed the audience summarising this year’s campaign and what his hopes are for the new campaign.

Martin also took the time to highlight our Under 18s, some of whom were in attendance. Hailing them as the club’s most successful Under 18s side and encouraged everyone in attendance to get down to the Rivermoor on Tuesday night where our youngsters have the chance of winning the league, against near-neighbours Binfield.