Jake Daniels is the first active British male footballer since Justin Fashanu to come out publicly as gay.
Jake, 17, plays for Blackpool FC and says he hopes his decision to come out about his sexuality will inspire others to do the same.
“Now is the time to do it.” I think I’m ready to tell people my story. “I want people to know who I am,” Daniels said to Sky Sports News.
“I’ve been thinking about how and when I want to do it for a long time.” I know the time has come. I am ready to be myself, to be free, and to be confident in everything.
“I can’t pinpoint a specific date, but I was probably five or six years old when I realized I was gay. So I’ve been living with the lie for quite some time.
“At that age, you don’t really believe that football and being gay don’t go together. You just think that when I’m older, I’ll get a girlfriend, change, and everything will be fine.
“However, as you get older, you realize that you can’t just change. That is not how it works.”
Daniels scored 30 goals for Blackpool FC’s under-19 team last season, including goals against Chelsea and Newcastle in the FA Youth Cup.
He made his senior debut as a substitute in a 5-0 defeat at Peterborough on the final day of the Championship season.
“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.”