I’ve often been asked how long it would take for a current English male professional footballer to come out as gay. Would it be a famous international player? Or someone at the very start of his professional career, such as Jake Daniels, who plays for Blackpool in the Championship? That Jake is the first is a huge step forward, but the fact it’s such big news is also something the media needs to reflect on. We all play a big part in that.
My immediate reaction was that he needs support. Because coming out is such a personal decision, a life-changing experience, and you have to understand when is the right moment. For Jake, it’s at the age of 17; for me it was at 31, shortly after retiring.
