KSI Invests in Dagenham & Redbridge with Ambitions for Premier League
Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji, known professionally as KSI, co-founder of the YouTuber group Sidemen and co-owner of Prime Hydration, has purchased a minority stake in Dagenham & Redbridge Football Club. He has expressed his ambition to elevate the sixth-tier club to the Premier League.
The club announced on Tuesday that Stephen Thompson, the long-serving managing director, will step down from his role and his position on the board at the end of March.
Dagenham & Redbridge were relegated to the National League South at the conclusion of last season and currently stand 13th in the table with 49 points.
"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," KSI stated on the club's website.
"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."
The club described KSI's involvement as "its most significant strategic partnership to date."
Andy Carroll joined Dagenham & Redbridge in July and became a shareholder on 28 February.
KSI, aged 32, gained fame as an online streamer and currently has over 17 million rs on his YouTube channel. Beyond his online presence, he is a musician, former professional boxer, and serves as a judge on Britain's Got Talent alongside Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, and Alesha Dixon.
Dagenham & Redbridge was established in 1992 following the merger of two clubs, Dagenham and Redbridge Forest. The club achieved promotion to League One for the first and only time in the 2009-10 season but was relegated the following year. They exited the English Football League in the 2015-16 season and were relegated to the National League South on the final day of last season.
KSI's investment follows the recent takeover of the club by Happy Fan Group Ltd and joins former England, Newcastle, and West Ham striker Andy Carroll as investors. Carroll, aged 37, joined the Daggers on a free transfer in July.
'Time Feels Right to Step Down' - Thompson
Stephen Thompson, who has served the club for 45 years, will become honorary life president upon his departure. He began his management tenure in 1981, prior to the 1992 merger, and was appointed managing director in 2007. Thompson was awarded an MBE in 2013.
He has also served on the board of the National League and has been an advocate for the league's "3 Up" campaign, which seeks to add a third promotion and relegation place between the fifth tier and League Two.
"Firstly, can I say that it has been a privilege to have been associated with the club for so long and the part I have been able to play over the years. But 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," Thompson said.
"As a lifelong supporter first, I wish them the very best for the club. I am also extremely humbled and honoured to have been made the club's honorary life president, and I thank the new board for their generosity."
