March 4 – YouTuber-turned-entrepreneur KSI’s minority investment in Dagenham & Redbridge is being pitched as the start of something audacious. The 32-year-old has taken a stake in the National League South club, outlining ambitions that stretch well beyond sixth-tier consolidation.
Speaking via the club’s official channels, he made no attempt to temper expectations.
“I’m so excited to start this journey. It’s gonna be a rollercoaster for sure but I hope to bring Dagenham & Redbridge back to the glory days,” he said.
“And once we reach that point, I want to go even further. Reaching the Premier League would be a dream. And I believe it is 100% doable.
“It will take a long time, so to the Daggers fans, please be patient.
“I want you to know that I am fully committed to making sure Dagenham & Redbridge is a team that everyone will know worldwide, and will be an exciting team to watch and support.”
Ambition has rarely been in short supply in English football’s lower reaches, but the difference here is in profile. KSI – real name Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji but commonly shortened to ‘JJ’- brings a global digital audience, commercial leverage and a track record of building brands at scale.
The move sees KSI join the already-existing ownership group, investing a minority stake that will see him own 20% of the club. The value of his stake has not been disclosed.
The club described his arrival as “its most significant strategic partnership to date”. Broadcast clips, content crossover and international reach will form part of the package, even if survival and stabilisation remain the immediate priorities on the pitch.
KSI will livestream content from matchdays, in an effort to boost support around the club whilst creating an additional revenue stream for himself.
Dagenham were relegated from the National League at the end of last season and currently sit mid-table in National League South, 13th with 49 points. The gap between there and the Premier League is not romantic; it is structural, financial and brutally steep.
KSI joins a reshaped ownership picture following the recent takeover by Happy Fan Group Ltd. Former England international Andy Carroll, who signed on a free transfer in July, is also part of the wider investment story.
The announcement comes alongside significant change off the field. Long-serving managing director Stephen Thompson will step down at the end of March, concluding a 45-year association with the club and transitioning into an honorary life president role.
“With the takeover by the Happy Fan Group, I feel it is the right time to step down and hand the reins to the new owners,” said Thompson.
For Dagenham & Redbridge, formed in 1992 and promoted to League One just once in their history, the new era blends continuity and disruption. The club has known volatility before. What it has not known is this level of global attention.
With AFC Wrexham the blueprint for celebrity ownership in the English football – now one of the UK’s biggest digital stars wants a slice of the action with a project close to his heart.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at [email protected]