KSI makes bold Premier League claim after statement Dagenham & Redbridge victory

KSI affirmed his daring ambitions for Dagenham & Redbridge after the National League South club's statement victory over league leaders Dorking Wanderers on Saturday afternoon.

The YouTuber purchased a minority stake in the sixth-tier club last week, becoming the latest celebrity to delve into the world of football ownership.

That victory boosted the Daggers up to 12th in the table, and while they are outsiders to reach the play-offs, they have narrowed the gap to eight points.

Whether they can return to the National League this season or not, KSI, whose real name is Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji, believes they can reach the pinnacle of English football.

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KSI eyes Premier League with Dagenham & Redbridge

A staggering 2,281 supporters piled into the Chigwell Construction Stadium on Saturday afternoon to watch Dagenham & Redbridge take on Dorking - almost double the attendance of the previous home game.

Whether they came in their numbers to see KSI or watch the best team in the National League come to town remains to be seen, but it was a day that will go down in the Daggers' history books.

Indeed, the home side thrived in the unique atmosphere, with Aramide Oteh's 60th-minute goal the difference in East London.

After the match, KSI was interviewed in front of the cameras and spoke at length about what he aims to achieve at the club.

"I know it's going to be hard," he exclusively told DAZN.

"I know I said I want to take them to the Premier League, and I do believe we can take Dagenham & Redbridge to the Premier League.

"But it's step by step, got to go into the National League and go up from there, and you hopefully work out things behind the scenes to make sure it's all up to standard so that we have a foundation and are ready to level up to different leagues. 

"You can't just springboard up; it's going to take time and some changes, but good changes, and I feel like the fans and everybody supporting Daggers understand."

KSI to elevate Non-League football and the Daggers

Non-League football is packed with compelling storylines, and with the National League as competitive as ever, the addition of KSI will bring the extra eyes the divisions deserve.

The 32-year-old became famous as an online streamer and has more than 17million subscribers to his YouTube channel.

He has also dipped his toes into the music industry and boxing and is currently a judge on Britain's Got Talent alongside Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon.

Given his level of popularity, KSI's arrival at Dagenham & Redbridge will bring a fresh batch of fans and a younger demographic to the Non-League sphere.

"I have a worldwide audience from America to India to Australia to England - I have an audience everywhere," he continued.

"People from all over the place are going to be watching.

"A lot of people didn't even know about Dagenham & Redbridge before the announcement; now, it's on the radar, it's on the worldwide stage, and I'm going to be here most home games streaming it on my YouTube. 

"I've got a docuseries I'm working on for Dagenham & Redbridge - I'm literally going to market the hell out of this."

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From listening to KSI, it is clear that this is no publicity stunt and that he honestly believes he can take the Daggers from the sixth tier to the summit of English football.

While the revolution will take time, eyes will be on Dagenham & Redbridge to see if the East London club can achieve one of the most remarkable feats the game has ever seen.

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