Everything we know about Jake Daniels, 17, as he becomes UK's first openly gay footballer in 30 years
ok.co.ukBlackpool's Jake Daniels came out publicly as a gay male professional footballer, the first to do so in the UK since 1990. While Justin Fashanu was the UK's first professional footballer to come out as gay, his career was tragically cut short due to homophobia – he ended his own life in 1998.
Footballer Jake, 17, told Sky Sports that he believed he was "ready to tell people my story" after coming out to his parents, his football club and teammates while letting his fans "know the real me".
His journey for self-discovery and acceptance began when was around the age of five or six when he realised he was gay – since then, he feels he has been "living with the lie" for a "long time". "At that age you don't really think that football and being gay doesn't mix," Jake added. "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." But, who is Jake Daniels? Here, OK! shares everything you need to know about the footballer bravely breaking down barriers...
