Two Merseyside LGBTQ+ football supporters groups have welcomed the news of Blackpool’s Jake Daniels coming out as gay.
Daniels, a 17-year-old forward with Blackpool, came out yesterday making him the UK’s only openly gay active male professional footballer as it stands. The last time a professional male footballer came out while in the midst of their career was more than 30 years ago in 1990 with Justin Fashanu.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Daniels said: "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, 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.
READ MORE: All the LGBT+ inclusive sports teams you can join around Merseyside
“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 has shone at the youth level for Blackpool in the past season, scoring 30 goals for the under-19s and striking 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.
He added: "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. 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.”
Liverpool FC's LGBT+ supporters group, Kop Outs, praised the teenager’s bravery. Founder of the group, Paul Amann told the ECHO : “Kop Outs congratulates Jake Daniels in taking the brave step to come out. We are especially proud that our club has congratulated Jake on coming out. We hope that being able to be his authentic self will enable Jake to further improve his game.
“We thank Blackpool FC for helping provide an environment where Jake has felt safe to come out. Coming out is a very personal decision, the environment and timing for each person is important. We don't believe that football needs a whole load of players to come out at once, as each players' circumstances are different. We look forward to a time when coming out in football is not news. Jake, You Will Never Walk Alone.”
Echoing a similar sentiment, Paul Hession, a spokesperson for Everton’s LGBT+ supporters group, Rainbow Toffees, added: “We are extremely proud of Jake Daniels on coming out and hope he gets all the support he deserves. It takes a lot of courage to come out and to come out in football even more so. Let’s hope this gives other sports people the encouragement they need.”
Others, including local MPs, took to social media to share messages of support. Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, Kim Johnson, penned: "Full respect to Jake Daniels for his courageous & honest statement and I trust he will receive support from the entire footballing family from the FA to the fans." Whereas Labour MP for Wallasey, Angela Eagle, said: "A brave message - Well done Jake Daniels."
