Justin Fashanu's life from becoming first footballer to come out as gay to tragic death aged 37

Blackpool’s Jake Daniels has become the UK’s first currently active male professional footballer to come out as gay. The 17-year-old forward is the first Briton in the men’s professional game to come out publicly since Justin Fashanu in 1990 and said he was inspired by Tom Daley and other athletes from around the world.

He told Sky Sports: “It’s been quite a crazy year. I’m 17. I’ve signed a professional contract. I’ve scored 30 goals this season and I’ve just made my first-team debut in the Championship, coming off the bench against Peterborough. And now I have decided to come out. Everything has happened at once but it feels right. When this season started, I just wanted to prove myself as a player. I think I have. So this was the one last thing in my head that I knew I needed to do. - Now it’s out, and people know. Now I can just live my life how I want to and you know what? It’s been incredible.”

The forward said being gay is still a "taboo", decades after Justin Fashanu spoke out. But who was Justin Fashanu? And why was he such a trailblazing figure? We at MyLondon have gathered everything you need to know.

Justin Fashanu was a famous English footballer born in February 1961 in Hackney. He grew up mainly in foster care alongside his brother John in Norfolk and attended Attleborough High School.

Growing up he was a great boxer and footballer, but soon began rising up through Norwich City's youth football ranks.

Justin Fashanu was a ground-breaking footballer in more ways than one. As well as coming out publicly as gay in 1990 he also became the most expensive black footballer at the time when he signed a £1million transfer to Nottingham Forest in 1981.

But Fashanu began his footballing career with Norwich City,