Richard Madeley has joined the chorus of voices praising Blackpool footballer, Jake Daniels, who came out as gay in a TV interview with Sky Sports on Monday (May 16). The 17-year-old, who only signed a professional deal with the club earlier this year, made the announcement and made himself the first male player to come out while playing in the Football League since 1990
The Good Morning Britain presenter said: "Huge congratulations to Jake Daniels. A great day for you and actually a seminal day for football in this country and a big surprise for many of us." Susanna Reid added: "We hope that it means that others can just, you know when they say it, it no longer makes news."
In his interview with Sky Sports Jake said of the announcement: "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.
He continued: "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. I did have girlfriends in the past, to try and make all my mates think I was straight, but it was just a massive cover-up. In school people even used to ask me: 'are you sure you aren't gay?' And I would reply, 'no, I'm not'. I wasn't ready and it was a struggle but I just don't want to lie any more.
"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.
"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.
"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.
"And Blackpool have been absolutely amazing too. I am with them every day and I felt safe. My team-mates have all been so supportive about it and everyone has had my back. They've been asking tons of questions, they have all been intrigued and their reaction has been brilliant. It's the best thing I could have asked for.
"Of course, everyone was kind of shocked in a way and they were asking why I didn't tell them earlier. That was a great reaction because it showed how much they cared.
"The captain was one of the main people I told and he also asked me loads of questions. In the end he just said, 'I'm just so proud of you'. It meant so much.
"I like it when people ask questions. I just want to get it all out and for people to hear my story. It's been quite a crazy year. I'm 17. I've signed a professional contract. I've scored 30 goals this season and I've just made my first-team debut in the Championship, coming off the bench against Peterborough. And now I have decided to come out.
"Everything has happened at once but it feels right. When this season started, I just wanted to prove myself as a player. I think I have. So this was the one last thing in my head that I knew I needed to do. Now it's out, and people know. Now I can just live my life how I want to and you know what, it's been incredible."
