KSI got his reign as a co-owner of Dagenham and Redbridge off to the perfect start as the East London side beat Dorking Wanderers 1-0 on Saturday afternoon.
The YouTube star-turned-rapper, boxer, Britain’s Got Talent judge and multiple business owner sensationally announced earlier this week that he had bought a stake in the National League South club and also become a strategic partner.
‘I want to tell the world something big is going to happen,’ he said. ‘I’ve done boxing, music, YouTube content, I’ve done TV stuff, I’ve been around the world, done tours. I’m a man that does whatever I want. You can’t ever stop wanting more.
‘I am buying Dagenham and Redbridge Football Club.’
And KSI, 32, was in attendance on Saturday for their game against Dorking to mark his new venture, with his appearance at Dagenham’s Victoria Road stadium creating a storm.
The star, whose real name is Olajide Olayinka Williams ‘JJ’ Olatunji, received a rapturous reception from fans as he arrived ahead of the game.
KSI got off to a winning start with National League South side Dagenham and Redbridge
KSI was announced as a co-owner of the club on Tuesday and attended their game on Saturday
He posed for pictures and signed shirts, programmes and scarves for adoring followers.
When the match kicked off, KSI, who was wearing a Daggers away shirt, was seen sitting next to former England and Liverpool striker Andy Carroll.
Carroll, who joined Dagenham last summer but is currently injured, also holds a minority stake in the club.
Carroll’s children were alongside him and were desperate to get a selfie and autograph from KSI.
The 32-year-old even live streamed his time at the game, with a camera following his and Carroll’s every move in the stands.
The pair were mic’d up and both celebrated wildly when Aramide Oteh scored the decisive goal in the second half, with the stream on YouTube having 220,000 views at the time of writing.
KSI’s impact was evident elsewhere too. The attendance for the match was 2,281, up more than 1,000 on last Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat by AFC Totton.
The result saw the Daggers rise to 12th in the National League South, the sixth tier of English football, which is five promotions away from KSI’s stated desire of reaching the Premier League with the club.
KSI was sitting next to former England and Liverpool Andy Carroll, who plays for Dagenham and also holds a minority stake in the club
KSI live streamed the game and he and Carroll celebrated wildly when Dagenham scored
Speaking earlier this week when announcing his arrival, he had said: ‘It’s surreal, bro, out of this world. The idea of it excites me so much.
‘Years ago, I saw the excitement, the happiness, the joy. I want to bring that back and then surpass it.
‘I want the place to be pumping, I want it to be rocking, I want it to be an event whenever you come here.
‘Playing a video game and owning a football club is very different, I know that, but with Race to Division One (his Fifa YouTube series), it was a journey. It was hard, but in the end, I did it.’
KSI continued: ‘With this club, I want to do the unthinkable. I want to take Dagenham and Redbridge to the Premier League.
‘It’s obviously going to take time, but I’d say the realistic goal is getting out of this league and entering the National League.
‘We need to improve the team, make some additions that really take it to another level, and I want to build the community.’
