Jake Daniels has come out as gay in a ‘hugely positive step’ forward for sport

Blackpool footballer Jake Daniels has come out as gay.

This makes him the only professional footballer in the UK to come out as gay this century.

The 17-year-old described it as a “massive relief”.

Speaking to Sky Sport he said that this was “the right time to do it”.

“Since I’ve come out to my family, my club and my team-mates, that period of over-thinking 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.”

He went on to say: “There are people out there in the same space as me that may not feel comfortable revealing their sexuality. I just want to tell them that you don’t have to change who you are, or how you should be, just to fit in.”

The first Premier League player to come out as gay was Justin Fashanu in 1990. Fashanu later committed suicide.

Apart from Daniels there are no other professional male footballers in the  UK who are openly gay.

Yet.