Jake Daniels, first active English professional to admit his homosexuality

Jake Daniels, a 17-year-old midfielder who plays for Blackpool in the English second division, became the first active professional footballer to publicly come out as gay on Monday, in a statement.

"This season has been fantastic for me on the pitch. I played my first game as a professional, I have scored 30 goals with the subsidiary, I have signed my first professional contract"explains the player on the club’s website.

"But off the pitch I have hidden who I really am. All my life I’ve known I was gay and I feel like right now I’m ready to come out and be myself."he continued.

In the 1990s, Justin Fashanu was the first English professional player to openly declare himself homosexual, but he was already playing in an amateur category when he revealed his condition in an explosive interview with the tabloid The Sun.

Victim of insults and homophobic behavior after coming out as gay, the former Norwich and Nottingham Forest striker committed suicide eight years later.

"Being gay, bisexual or sexually different remains a taboo in men’s football"highlighted the young Daniels in an interview with Sky Sport.

"I think it’s because a lot of players want to be recognized for their manhood. And people see being gay as a weakness, something to provoke on the pitch."he continued.

"But the way I see things, I play football and (spectators) can yell things at me, but they pay to see me play and I make a living like that. So yell what you want, it won’t change a thing"insisted the footballer.

Daniels’ announcement has been met with a wave of sympathy from across English football.

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"You are an inspiration to all of us, Jake."

"Football is a sport for all, with diversity at its core, and this is a huge step in the right direction as we all try to create a truly inclusive sport that we will all be proud of."tweeted for its part the English Federation.

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