Jake Daniels came out as gay after watching Tom Daley’s Christmas … – msnNOW
© Provided by Metro Jake was the first footballer to come out in 32 years (Picture:@BlackpoolFC)
Jake Daniels revealed that he came out as gay after watching Tom Daley discussing homophobia in sport.
The 17-year-old, who signed his first professional deal with Blackpool in February, made his senior debut for the Championship club in May this year.
Jake became the first male professional player in English football to come out as gay since Justin Fashanu in 1990.
The football ace shared that he chose to come out after taking inspiration from Olympic diver Tom who encouraged gay football players to be ‘brave.’
Speaking in his message, Tom said: ‘Think for a moment about the number of players too scared to speak up, and how lonely that must be.
‘Nearly 7 per cent of people in the UK identify as gay or bisexual … there are around 500 Premier League players. Statistically, there are enough players for three football teams. At least one gay man at every club in the Premier League, living a lie.’
© Provided by Metro Tom Daley tackled homophobia in an alternative Christmas message last year (Picture: Getty)
© Provided by Metro Jake signed his first professional deal with Blackpool in February (Picture: Phill Heywood)
Reflecting on the moment he tuned into Tom’s festive special, Jake told The Sun: ‘I watched that message over and over, and over again.
‘Eventually with the support of my friends and family and support of Tom, I decided to come out.’
Other stars including The Chase’s Paul Sinha, Eddie Izzard and Gary Lineker showed their support behind the teen after the poignant interview last year.
‘I have been thinking for a long time about how I want to do it, when I want to do it,’ he said at the time.
‘I know now is the time. I am ready to be myself, be free and be confident with it all. 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.’
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