After becoming the first gay male professional in British football to come out since Justin Fashanu, Jake Daniels’ profile exploded last year. Now, he’s looking forward to what he can do to make the game more inclusive
Words Alastair James Photography Azazel Creative direction & styling Joseph Kocharian
THE GAMECHANGER AWARD Jake Daniels
The Great British weather is beginning to turn as Jake Daniels sits down with me on a grey and miserable-looking September evening. The Blackpool FC player has been in a training session before a match against Nottingham County the following day. Calling in from his Blackpool home, the 18-year-old striker would probably like to put his feet up, but instead I’m asking him to reflect on the past 17 months since he came out as gay. After taking a deep breath, he says, “Last year was kind of a whirlwind.” And in a statement that shows he has no regrets, he adds, “Coming out was the best thing I’ve ever done.”
Daniels made his announcement on 16 May 2022, the same month that he made his professional debut for his League One club. He told Sky Sports, “For a long time I’ve thought I would have to hide my truth because I wanted to be, and now I am, a professional footballer.” Months before, Josh Cavallo had done the same, then becoming the world’s only out gay male professional footballer playing at the top level.
After his frank confession, Daniels became the first gay male professional in British football to come out since Justin Fashanu in 1990.
“It was just a nice feeling for me to be able to come out and live my life how I wanted to and kick on with football,” he says. And his actions sparked something of a domino effect — since he opened up about his sexuality, Scottish League footballer Zander Murray, referees Craig Napier and Lloyd Wilson, and Czech Republic player Jakub Jankto have all followed suit.
Not only does being open seem to have been the best outcome for Daniels, but in providing yet another ripple in a wave of change, it also marks a significant step forward for football and even sport more broadly. Football has long been seen as unwelcoming — even at times outright hostile — towards the LGBTQ+ community, but if people like Daniels now feel able to be themselves on the pitch, it’s a promising sign that the beautiful game is finally catching up with the rest of society. If only we could count on our supposed allies in the sport. I’m looking at you, David Beckham!
Although Daniels was nervous about how the public would react t
