Dagenham & Redbridge Considering Kevin Nolan as New Manager
Dagenham & Redbridge, a football club owned by KSI, is reportedly in the process of considering Kevin Nolan as their next manager. Nolan, 43, has been without a job since he was dismissed by Northampton Town last month after a seven-game winless streak left the Cobblers in 23rd place in League One.
Nolan was appointed as Northampton’s manager in December 2024 and successfully guided them to safety last season. However, this season proved more challenging, and the club’s relegation was confirmed earlier this week. Since his departure, Northampton has lost all seven games they have played.
According to reports, Nolan is being considered for a return to management at Dagenham, who compete in the National League South, the sixth tier of English football. The profile of the Daggers has significantly increased since KSI’s surprise takeover last month. Despite the YouTuber’s arrival, the club currently sits 13th in the table with one game remaining in the season.
Andy Carroll, a former teammate of Nolan at Newcastle and West Ham, is currently serving as caretaker manager after KSI dismissed Lee Bradbury. Carroll, 37, is still officially a player after joining the East London outfit last summer and has earned eight points from six games.
Speaking last month, he emphasized that he is not ready to give up his playing career despite his temporary role as manager. “Management was never something I wanted to do,” he told The Sun. “But I always knew that if there was a chance for me to do it, I could. It’s something that is exciting me at the minute. I’m really happy with the way it is going, but I never thought about it and it just fell on my lap.”
Carroll added, “I want to play football. I’m still contracted here to play football and that’s what I want to do every single day. If that includes having the manager’s job alongside it, so be it. But being the boss permanently and not being able to play football isn’t something I’d do right now.”
A Managerial Journey
Nolan gained cult status during his playing career for his time with Bolton, Newcastle, and West Ham. He began his managerial career with Leyton Orient in 2016 before moving to Notts County from January 2017 to August 2018. During his tenure, he led the Magpies to the League Two play-offs in his first full season in charge.
Nolan served as a first-team coach at West Ham during David Moyes’ second spell at the club before briefly working with the England Under 20s. His move to Northampton followed shortly after.
In an interview with Daily Mail Sport’s Inside The EFL column last season, after helping Northampton avoid relegation, Nolan expressed his enthusiasm for management. “It’s been great being a number one again. I enjoy making the decisions and having that pressure on you. Management is something I wanted to do again. I had a fantastic opportunity under David at West Ham and learnt so much from him. But I’ve loved every minute of being back, we’ve had some amazing days and getting the job done to keep us up was key.”
KSI’s Ambitions for Dagenham & Redbridge
KSI recently made headlines with his purchase of a stake in Dagenham & Redbridge. Outlining his vision for the club, he 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.”
He continued, “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 added, “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.”