17-year-old is first active UK professional footballer to come out as gay in decades

By Kevin Dotson, CNN

Updated 1950 GMT (0350 HKT) May 16, 2022

Jake Daniels shields the ball from Chelsea' s Luke Badley Morgan during Chelsea Under-18 vs. Blackpool Under-18 in the FA Youth Cup.

(CNN)Jake Daniels, a 17-year-old forward for Blackpool FC in England's second tier, publicly came out as gay Monday in a statement released by the club.

The British LGBTQ advocacy group Stonewall says Daniels is the first professional player to come out in the UK in the last 30 years.«I've known my whole life that I'm gay, and I now feel that I'm ready to come out and be myself.» Daniels said in his statement.«In reaching this point, I've had some of the best support and advice from my family, my Club, my agent and Stonewall, who have all been incredibly pro-active in putting my interests and welfare first,» Daniels continued. «I have also confided in my team-mates in the youth team here at Blackpool, and they too have embraced the news and supported my decision to open up and tell people.»«I've hated lying my whole life and feeling the need to change to fit in. I want to be a role model myself by doing this.»Read MoreDaniels signed a professional contract with Blackpool FC in February and played in the team's final game of the season after scoring 30 goals for Blackpool's youth team and leading that team to the quarterfinals of the FA Youth Cup, where he scored in his team's 3-2 loss to Chelsea's youth team.«Blackpool Football Club has worked closely with Stonewall and the relevant footballing organisations to support Jake and is incredibly proud that he has reached a stage where he is empowered to express himself both on-and-off the pitch,» the club said in a statement.«We are proud that Jake has felt able to share his truth