Jake Daniels

[Mase]

Blackpool's Jake Daniels said his decision to come out as the UK's only openly gay active male professional footballer will allow him to be "free and confident".

The Championship club forward, is the first professional in the UK men's game for more than 30 years to come out while still playing.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the 17-year-old said: "Now is the right time to do it.

"I feel like I am ready to tell people my story."

He added: "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 health. Now I am just confident and happy to be myself finally.

"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."

Justin Fashanu was the last active men's professional footballer in the UK to come out during his playing career, featuring for clubs in England and Scotland after announcing in October 1990 that he was gay.

Adelaide United player Josh Cavallo is the only current openly gay top-flight male professional footballer in the world, having come out last October.

Daniels' announcement drew instant reaction, with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeting: "Thank you for your bravery Jake. It would have taken huge courage to come out and you will be an inspiration to many both on and off the pitch."

The football world also reacted swiftly, with the Premier League tweeting "the footballing world is with you", while Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea all said they were "proud" of Daniels.

[Dimples]

Do people still care what your sexual orientation is (provided you are not harming others)?
For me this is a non-story.

[Mase]

Do people still care what your sexual orientation is (provided you are not harming others)?
For me this is a non-story.

The fact that he’s the only openly gay footballer in the UK currently tells you enough.

Hopefully opens the door for others to not have to hide.

[sheblue]

Do people still care what your sexual orientation is (provided you are not harming others)?
For me this is a non-story.

Absolute non story, nobody gives a fuck.

In fact i thought this thread was about Jack Daniels, lovely juice that.

[Hazy2]

LFC have tweeted. WTF.

[zuricity]

Hope he gets a call up for the England team in Qatar.

[johnny crossan]

17 yrs old.

[Wooders]

This is sort of a non story but the fact he is the only openly gay player is the story in itself I’d say

[CTID Hants]

17 yrs old.

17 yrs old has fuck all to do with it JC , I sincerely hope you don't travel to our hallowed ground along Alan Turing Way?

[john@staustell]

Do people still care what your sexual orientation is (provided you are not harming others)?
For me this is a non-story.

Absolute non story, nobody gives a fuck.

In fact i thought this thread was about Jack Daniels, lovely juice that.

Yes who on earth cares? I don't care what his sexuality is and have no interest at all. Should just keep his private life to himself.

When you are 17 you have a sort of strange view of the world. Sometimes it's best to just sit back and keep your own counsel.

[johnny crossan]

17 yrs old.

17 yrs old has fuck all to do with it JC , I sincerely hope you don't travel to our hallowed ground along Alan Turing Way?

World headlines after 9 minutes on the pitch - already a celebrity football superstar, great career move.

[john68]

I don't often disagree with you Johnny but a 17yr old coming out as gay is a very brave tging to do in the ultra macho environment of football.

Homophobia may not be as widespread as it once was but trust me Johnny, it is far from gone away.

41yrs driving a taxi in Manchester gave me the opportunity to watch the Gay Village evolve and grow, I also saw the gangs of lads who would go down there tobeat up the gay men.
I have a number of gay friends who suffered being shunned by their families, shunned by their closest friends and battered randomly by homophobic gangs theynever knew.

Football is a very mach and crual environment. Any excuse used by fans to insult and hopefully intimidate any opposing player's percieved weaknesses.
Adebayour...His Dad washes elephant etc....and dit those Arsenal fans really bring the bananas that littered the pitch for a HT snack?
On here, we rip into the percieved feminity of Tranaldo as a matter of course. I just did it there and we all know who I mean.

Last week, my daughter was approached by one of the company staff who asked not to have to work with another member of staff. His reason was. "I drive, he sucks dick." The gay gut in question is a top bloke.

I don't think it's a caree move to open youself up to every gobshite opposing fan slinging personal insults at you game after game, week after week.
Cos we all know that's most likely to happen

[mr_nool]

Great post John. Came on here to write something similar, but you are far more eloquent.

[Mase]

Great post John. Came on here to write something similar, but you are far more eloquent.

Alright 64!!!

[johnny crossan]

I don't often disagree with you Johnny but a 17yr old coming out as gay is a very brave tging to do in the ultra macho environment of football.

Homophobia may not be as widespread as it once was but trust me Johnny, it is far from gone away.

41yrs driving a taxi in Manchester gave me the opportunity to watch the Gay Village evolve and grow, I also saw the gangs of lads who would go down there tobeat up the gay men.
I have a number of gay friends who suffered being shunned by their families, shunned by their closest friends and battered randomly by homophobic gangs theynever knew.

Football is a very mach and crual environment. Any excuse used by fans to insult and hopefully intimidate any opposing player's percieved weaknesses.
Adebayour...His Dad washes elephant etc....and dit those Arsenal fans really bring the bananas that littered the pitch for a HT snack?
On here, we rip into the percieved feminity of Tranaldo as a matter of course. I just did it there and we all know who I mean.

Last week, my daughter was approached by one of the company staff who asked not to have to work with another member of staff. His reason was. "I drive, he sucks dick." The gay gut in question is a top bloke.

I don't think it's a caree move to open youself up to every gobshite opposing fan slinging personal insults at you game after game, week after week.
Cos we all know that's most likely to happen

I expressed my opinion to the other half this morning and have been under the cosh ever since. Don't disagree he's a plucky kid but still think 17 is too young to be a missionary for the LGBT movement.

[john68]

Well done Mrs Crossan...and so you should be :-)

I'm not sure he set out to be a missionary for anyone other than his self.
I have had many conversations about the self imposed imprisonement of young gay men who have been too frightened to release themselves to be themselves from the silence they feel the need to keep.

I think he is very brave art a personal level to release himself. Maybe as a young man not fuly understanding how the media works and how they would jump on the story fronm whatever angle they sought fit.

We don't know how he came out, quietly or otherwise. It is quite likely as a kid , he did so quietly, whilst some trusted friend decided to shout it to an ever eager to sensationalise a non story.....Young kid is gay...should not be even considered a story in these more liberal times. Young footballer is gay...is suddenly national news.

I just hope the opposing fans next season are kinder to him than they were to the likes of Albert Johanson years ago and more recently Razza for daring to be black.

[johnny crossan]

Well done Mrs Crossan...and so you should be

I'm not sure he set out to be a missionary for anyone other than his self.
I have had many conversations about the self imposed imprisonement of young gay men who have been too frightened to release themselves to be themselves from the silence they feel the need to keep.

I think he is very brave art a personal level to release himself. Maybe as a young man not fuly understanding how the media works and how they would jump on the story fronm whatever angle they sought fit.

We don't know how he came out, quietly or otherwise. It is quite likely as a kid , he did so quietly, whilst some trusted friend decided to shout it to an ever eager to sensationalise a non story.....Young kid is gay...should not be even considered a story in these more liberal times. Young footballer is gay...is suddenly national news.

I just hope the opposing fans next season are kinder to him than they were to the likes of Albert Johanson years ago and more recently Razza for daring to be black.

The fact it is a story is the reason he shouldn't be it. I hold many unfashionable views, no doubt failing to recognise that the world has moved on but in this case in these days it is surely "coming out" that is anachronistic. You're probably right about the main beneficiary of Jake's missionary zeal being himself though.

[littlebig]

Good on the lad. Takes balls to stand up and will inspire others

[john@staustell]

Good on the lad. Takes balls to stand up and will inspire others

His preferences don't matter to me, but when people say brave, they probably mean unwise.

He will likely regret going public sooner or later. As I said earlier, at 17 we tend to hold rather idealistic views.

[Mase]

If you think this isn’t a problem in football you’re deluded.

Crystal Palace star Cheikhou Kouyate and Watford's Ismaila Sarr spark fury at their clubs by publicly backing Senegal team-mate Idrissa Gueye as a 'REAL MAN' for 'refusing to play in LGBTQ rainbow colours'

Cheikhou Kouyate and Ismaila Sarr have sparked fury at their clubs Crystal Palace and Watford after appearing to back Senegal team-mate Idrissa Gueye for allegedly refusing to wear rainbow colours for PSG.

Gueye, who is a devout muslim, came under fire after he failed to feature in PSG's 4-0 win over Montpellier, where players wore special shirts in an expression of solidarity to mark the upcoming International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, on Tuesday May 17.

Do I think teams should be wearing rainbow colours? No. It doesn’t help anything and is just a gesture so that organisations or teams can say they’re doing something to help. Would I refuse to play, hell no! It wouldn’t bother me that much!