Jake Daniels has become the first active British male footballer to come out publicly as gay since Justin Fashanu.



Jake,17 plays for Blackpool FC and he says he hopes that his decision to go public about his sexuality will encourage others to do same.

“Now is the right time to do it. I feel like I am ready to tell people my story. I want people to know the real me,” Daniels told Sky Sports News.



“I have been thinking for a long time about how I want to do it, when I want to do it. I know now is the time. I am ready to be myself, be free and be confident with it all.

“I can’t really put a date on it, but I was probably five or six years old when I knew I was gay. So it’s been a long time that I have been living with the lie.

“At that age you don’t really think that football and being gay doesn’t mix. You just think, one day, when I’m older I’ll get a girlfriend and I will change and it will be fine.



“But as you get older you realise you can’t just change. It doesn’t work like that.”



Daniels last season scored 30 goals for the under-19 team of Blackpool FC and scored against Chelsea and Newcastle in the FA Youth Cup.

“For a long time I’ve thought I would have to hide my truth because I wanted to be, and now I am, a professional footballer,” Daniels added.



“I asked myself if I should wait until I’ve retired to come out. No other player in the professional game here is out.




“However, I knew that would lead to a long time of lying and not being able to be myself or lead the life that I want to.”



“Since I’ve come out to my family, my club and my team-mates, that period of overthinking everything and the stress it created has gone. It was impacting my mental heath. Now I am just confident and happy to be myself finally,” he said.



“I first told my mum and my sister, who I live with. ‘Yeah, we already knew,’ was how they reacted.


“Then we told my whole family and at this point I was quite scared because I didn’t know how the older generation might react.



“I needn’t have worried. I’ve had so many messages saying, ‘we are proud and we are supportive.’ It’s been amazing. I couldn’t have wished for it to go better.



“The day after I told my mum and sister, we played Accrington [in an under-18s fixture] and I scored four goals, so it just shows how much of a weight off the shoulders and what a massive relief it was.”



In a statement the club said: “Blackpool Football Club has worked closely with Stonewall and the relevant footballing organisations to support Jake and is incredibly proud that he has reached a stage where he is empowered to express himself both on-and-off the pitch.



“It is vital that we all promote an environment where people feel comfortable to be themselves, and that football leads the way in removing any form of discrimination and prejudice.”



The Professional Footballers’ Association also celebrated Daniels’ bravery.



They said: “We are extremely proud of Jake and have been working with him and his club. He has the complete support of everyone at the PFA.”

Source: https://www.completesports.com/i-knew-i-was-gay-at-six-blackpool-player-daniels/

I weep for this guy who has a mental illness that society does not want to treat

Mtcheww

Tufiakwu

His football career hasn't even picked up, he is already killing it. It won't surprise me if he plays all his career in his present club without any other meaningful club ever showing interest in his services no matter his potentials.

The guy above doesn't understand the world he lives in. I can tell you confidently that nothing will happen to his career and it has infact, picked up.

why do you think its safer to speak ill of God in this world today, that to say anything against the LGBT community. Almost all the powerful people you know in this world, including this country are covertly gays and lesbians.

even if some footballers are gay in the closet, it takes real balls to come out and admit it because of the stigma involve..
I pray this point of his career wont be his peak point bcoz I see his career going down after such statement..

oz4real83:
His football career hasn't even picked up, he is already killing it. It won't surprise me if he plays all his career in his present club without any other meaningful club ever showing interest in his services no matter his potentials.

simple....I thought as much...the guy really get mind..
some footballers maybe gay bt coming out isnt dt easy because of the stigmatization

complexBoss12:
The guy above doesn't understand the world he lives in. I can tell you confidently that nothing will happen to his career and it has infact, picked up.

why do you think its safer to speak ill of God in this world today, that to say anything against the LGBT community. Almost all the powerful people you know in this world, including this country are covertly gays and lesbians.

from your statement, you said most of the powerful people in the society today are "COVERTLY" gays and lesbians. By the word "COVERTLY", you meant they were still hiding to do it despite being powerful. Why are they still hiding? Why not openly do it just like this footballer, if they are sure that the society loves what they do?

complexBoss12:
The guy above doesn't understand the world he lives in. I can tell you confidently that nothing will happen to his career and it has infact, picked up.

why do you think its safer to speak ill of God in this world today, that to say anything against the LGBT community. Almost all the powerful people you know in this world, including this country are covertly gays and lesbians.

Not in sports,man.....not in sports, it's a very macho environment so your theory holds no water,the guy is right,he just single handedly ruined his career,I'm proud of him but still, it's football

At the end, whether he is gay or not gay, he is still a footballer, and he still has to work hard on his game, improve, and become better with time...so that better club will buy him (unless black pool goes back to premier league).

I wish him well. I may not approve of his lifestyle...but it does not mean that I have to reject him, or that he must not earn his daily bread because of his orientation.