Dagenham & Redbridge supporters endured a drab goalless draw at Enfield Town on Saturday, with boos from the travelling faithful marking a performance that felt a world away from the Premier League. The club's new minority owner, YouTuber KSI, was absent, but his ambition to take the National League South side to the top flight drew a sardonic response from lifelong fan Suzanne Collier: "And I'd like to marry Brad Pitt."
The scepticism is understandable given the club's recent history of underwhelming and occasionally bizarre investors. Club Underdog, an entity of North Sixth Group, oversaw relegation from the National League South. Egyptian social media star Marwan Serry invested last year, promising Premier League football, only to withdraw within five days after controversy involving another Egyptian influencer. A proposed Qatari consortium takeover also collapsed.
Now KSI, real name Olajide Olatunji, has arrived as part of Happy Fan Group, a consortium led by American businessman John Grabowski. The 32-year-old, known to millions as a YouTuber, rapper and boxer, attended last week's 1-0 home win against league leaders Dorking alongside former England striker Andy Carroll, who has also invested and remains on the playing staff despite injury. KSI has since visited the training ground, chatting with manager Lee Bradbury and playing table tennis with players, mirroring the hands-on approach of Wrexham's Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
Fan reaction is cautiously optimistic. Andrew Denson, 54, said: "I knew about him because my kids knew him. It can only be good for the club, right? Worldwide recognition and a bit of money hopefully to improve the squad." Collier hopes the investment will attract a younger London-based fanbase, while Liam Roberts noted the increased attention: "You can be walking down the street in a Dagenham kit and people go: 'Oh, I know what that is because KSI's got that kit.'"
The club, which dropped out of the Football League in 2016, now sits nine points off the play-off places. A documentary series titled Race to the Top will follow their progress on KSI's YouTube channel, which has 17 million subscribers. The National League's broadcast partner DAZN showed Saturday's game globally during the UK's 3pm blackout. The return of Anwar Uddin, who captained the side to promotion to League One in 2010, as nonexecutive chair has also boosted morale.
