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Dagenham & Redbridge appoint fellow National League South manager in preparation for 2026/27

Dagenham & Redbridge appoint fellow National League South manager Lee Allinson in preparation for the 2026/27 season.

The Daggers finished 13th with 64 points from 46 games played, 13 points from the playoff places. Hemel ended up 5th, with 79 points, but lost on penalties to Weston-super-Mare in the playoff eliminator.

It’s been quite the last few months for Dagenham, KSI purchasing a minority stake in the club. Andy Carroll took over as caretaker manager following the sacking of Lee Bradbury.

Variety also announced that KSI and After Party Studios would be producing a docuseries called “Race to the Top”, delving into his takeover of the club similarly to Ryan Reynolds’ “Welcome to Wrexham.”

Hemel Hempstead said in a statement:

“The club can today confirm that Lee Allison has decided to move to Dagenham & Redbridge as their first team manager with immediate effect.

“We had agreed with Lee and his management team that they would have remained in place for 2026/27 to continue the work carried out over the past 18 months and planning had already been put in place for pre-season and beyond. We are extremely disappointed with the timing of his decision.

“However, once Lee had indicated that he wished to pursue the opportunity within a full time role it was clear that we needed to move forward quickly in order to shape our playing group for next season.

“The board would like to put on record its thanks to Lee and the management team for their hard work over the past 18 months, and we wish him well as he departs for a new venture.

“The board are already in the process of selecting a new manager and ensuring that we continue to build on the momentum built on and off the pitch over the last 18 months.

“We will continue to update supporters through our normal channels.

“THE BOARD

“03/05/2026”

DAG & RED STATEMENT:

Dagenham & Redbridge are delighted to announce that Lee Allinson has signed as our First Team Manager, spearheading an exciting new era at Victoria Road.

Allinson arrives in East London as one of the most sought-after tactical minds in non-league football. Following a rigorous selection process, the Board identified Lee as the candidate best equipped to implement a winning culture, bringing with him a modern approach to the game and a recent history of defying the odds.

Allinson said: “I am incredibly proud to be joining a club with the stature and history of Dagenham & Redbridge. From my first conversations with the Leadership Group, I saw a shared ambition to move this club forward. This is a massive opportunity, and I can’t wait to get to work. I want to build a team that reflects the grit and passion of this community, a team that is hard to beat and exciting to watch.” — Lee Allinson, First Team Manager

The Leadership Team, Anwar Uddin, Non-Executive Chairman, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Lee to the club. His recent work has been impossible to ignore; what he achieved at Hemel Hempstead Town demonstrated exactly the kind of tactical acumen and leadership we need. To take a part-time side into the playoffs in such a competitive division is a testament to his elite mentality. We are entering a pivotal chapter for the Daggers, and we believe Lee is the right man to lead the charge.”

Allinson joins the Daggers following a highly successful stint at Hemel Hempstead Town, where he solidified his reputation as a manager capable of punching well above his weight. Most notably, he led the Tudors, a part-time outfit, to a remarkable playoff finish, outperforming clubs with significantly more resources.

His ability to organise a disciplined defensive unit while maintaining a fluid, attacking threat was the hallmark of his success at Vauxhall Road. Prior to his time with Hemel, Allinson worked at Hendon and Biggleswade Town, proving his ability to build cohesive squads from the ground up. He arrives at Victoria Road with a proven track record of developing players into top-tier talent and getting results.

The club can also confirm that Lee will begin his duties immediately. Over the coming weeks, further information regarding our retained list and other technical team updates will be shared across our official channels.

Finally, we had hoped to announce this to fans before it was reported publicly, but unfortunately, the opportunity to conclude this process professionally was taken away from us.

Welcome to the Daggers, Lee!

Here’s how fans reacted after Dagenham & Redbridge appoint fellow National League South manager in preparation for 2026/27…

@CallumHallett6: Frustrating for Hemel, massive news for Dagenham + I’m delighted for @lee_allinson to get a role in Full Time football. An intelligent manager, always strong in recruitment, likes his sides to be versatile + unpredictable whilst focusing on getting the ball forwards quickly. If I was Hemel, I’d be all over Lee Bircham.

@OffTheLineBlog: Big news in the South. Lee Allinson to Dagenham and Redbridge. The Daggers will be get a passionate, hard-working and highly knowledgeable coach. A strong developer of players, and builds a side that has energy, pace and power. A top guy. Good luck, @lee_allinson 👍

@1974JCS: Wishing @lee_allinson the best of luck, seems like a good guy who’s done amazingly well with HH.

@TheFleetZone: Didn’t Hemel’s chairman say he’s going nowhere not even a week ago? 😬

@Doigey93: Wow, we appear for once to have not fucked about. Get in

@TheMemphisEra: Gonna restrain from being a total bellend, I hope you replace well as hemels a good club with great support, would love to see you compete again next season. Thanks for Lee though, over the fucking moon!

@TheMemphisEra: Well done Dagenham & Redbridge, this is top ambition from the club, never has my face lit up like this before over a tweet 😂 @lee_allinson welcome mate, let’s get back to where this club belongs 🤝

@SamStride93: Was fun whilst it lasted 🥲 Can’t hate Lee for the decision, realistically he’s a EFL manager in waiting and will get their quicker with D&R and their resources. An incredible 18 month stint 👏👏👏

@fletchhtfc: Ksi money talks. @bobbyquinton 👀

@engine1985: Well that’s a kick in the knackers. Going to be very hard to replace. Half our squad will be gone and a struggling season next season beckons.

@TTID_0: Heck of a pick up for Dagenham, top manager.

@Dazzarogers: Welcome to Daggers @lee_allinson. Excited to see what you can build here. Let’s kick on & get climbing again. Big summer ahead 🫡

@tudorarmyfan: Dave backed lee so much so this is going to be hard to get my head around. However i know we can get better then Lee. I know if we get this decision right we can really challenge for the title next season. I just need our players to stay with us and trust the project!

@DarranPearce: Massive shame for Hemel this although not surprised that Dagenham have poached him. Was hoping to take Dagenham on again next season, but he’s arguably the best manager in the division

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