Reading City Football Club are sad to announce that Under 23s Manager Sheldon Baptiste and Under 23s Assistant Manager Mimi Olaide have stepped down from their respective roles ahead of the 2025/26 Season.
Our Under 23s began their seventh season in the Thames Valley Premier League under their current alias, ending with their highest finish in three years.
In what was billed as a new chapter, Baptiste was appointed in May arriving with an array of experience, with Olaide joining in July to make management team for the campaign. Both were integral to our Under 23s earning a total of twenty-one points, securing both safety and a twelfth place finish, to conclude a successful first season at the helm.
Notable wins included a 4-1 victory over local rivals Reading YMCA and 2-1 win over near-neighbours Wargrave.
In January, with Baptiste absent from the touchline. Olaide took charge and commanded the side to a comprehensive 3-0 win away to Slough Heating Laurencians.
Club Chairman, Martin Law had this to say:
On behalf of the board of Directors, I would like to thank Sheldon & Mimi for their hard work and dedication during their time with us. Accepting their resignation was by no means an easy decision, as they’ve helped improve results on the pitch with our Under 23s enjoying their best finish in three years and did a stellar job off the pitch strengthening our pathway by giving our youngsters a chance to play men’s football, with several of our Under 18s making their debut in men’s football, some of whom were aged just 16.
That hard work and dedication was rewarded with multiple players in our Under 23s camp earning their first team call up, which is the culmination of any players pathway here at Reading City Football Club. For that reason, I am very pleased that Sheldon has accepted a new position within the club and will become our Director of Football Operations and Player Pathway and we’re all looking forward to working with him again in his new position.
I’d like to wish Mimi the very best for the future, he’s a talented coach who I’m sure will go very far and is always welcome here at the Rivermoor. Once a Cityzen, always a Cityzen”.
We spoke to Sheldon Baptiste, who reflected on his decision to step down as Manager and explained what his new role would involve:
“I’m taking a break from managing on the touchline need to focus on my personal life for the foreseeable.
Regarding last season it was an absolute pleasure working with the group a lot of those players really grew into incredible young men and will go on to have good footballing journeys. I hope I have contributed to their pathway into men’s football in a positive way and look forward to observing their continuous development.
The new role is something myself, Simon and Martin spoke about when I met with them to inform both of my decision to step away from managing. Martin and Simon were keen to still see me involved with the club behind the scenes. It’s something that keeps me still in and around the football club without the intensity that comes with football management. In short to medium term, it gives me the ability to stay tapped in and be able to drive a player pathway development that benefits the players and football club as a whole”.
Mimi Olaide, also reflected on his time as our Under 23s Assistant Manager and here’s his parting statement:
