Dagenham & Redbridge has been all over the footballing news in recent weeks. A takeover fronted by John Grabowski and Happy Fan Group saw KSI come on board as a minority owner while Andy Carroll has been enjoying his time both on the pitch and in the dugout. Therefore this was never going to be your normal football club conversation.

Non-League football in the UK is highly competitive. There is also some great business to be had. But of course, there are challenges to overcome. What does it take for Dagenham to put the excitement and media buzz that comes with high profile ownership into results on the pitch that ultimately leads to what really matters: winning. John takes us through the takeover story, football club’s challenges when talking about money, getting KSI on board, and how they plan to take the club back to the football league. We’re delighted to welcome John to the business of sport.

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Today it’s the turn of Italian football to take the spotlight. To say it has been a disappointing week for Italy would be an understatement. Missing out on their third World Cup in a row is quite incredible for the four time champions. But why is this happening? What is the root cause? Because this is now more than a blip. Add to this a dive back into horse racing ahead of Grand National weekend and look at whether the race has lost its magic, and yet more record losses for Chelsea, and we have ourselves a breakdown.

Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational and entertainment purposes only. All financial analysis, commentary, and forecasts are based on publicly available information and/or permitted confidential sources. These represent our personal opinions, not professional financial, legal, or investment advice. We make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information discussed. Nothing said should be taken as a statement of fact about any individual, club, or organisation's financial position or future prospects. We are not responsible for any actions taken based on our commentary.

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I’m so pleased to have finally got this guest in studio with us. When we first recorded with the PFA CEO Maheta Molango, it as over broken wifi at a conference in South Africa two and half years ago. Despite that, it was one of the best shows we have done. We wanted to bring this to properly though, and therefore we all agreed it was time to get the man that is in charge of the interests of all current and former professional footballers in this country to talk us through the state of play from the players perspective, from unsustainable calendar requirements to adapting to the demands on and off pitch which come with being a footballer in 2026. As you will hear, this ends up being far more of a discussion than an interview, and in my opinion it makes it only more powerful. We’re delighted to welcome Maheta back to the Business of Sport.

A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show:

Gemini Sports

We empower the most confident sports organisations on Earth

https://geminisports.ai/

Slate

The complete content creation platform for social teams https://slateteams.com/

If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at bos@20vc.com