Blackpool Tower lit up in support of Jake Daniels
Blackpool Tower is lit up for the rest of this week in respect and support of Blackpool FC footballer Jake Daniels, who has announced he is gay.
The 17-year-old became only the second current male player in world football to come out as gay, following in the footsteps of Josh Cavallo, of Australian side Adelaide United.
Other former players, including former Aston Villa midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger, came out when their careers had ended.
The only prominent male English footballer to previously reveal they were gay was Justin Fashanu, in 1990.
Jake’s announcement was greeted with overwhelming support, including from his former school, fellow footballers and the Football League, which commended Blackpool FC for the way it dealt with the player’s decision to come out.
The club cooperated with a number of organisations, including the EFL, the PFA and LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall UK, in the weeks and months leading up to the 17-year-old’s announcement on Monday.
Only a small circle of people were made aware of the news, allowing Daniels the time, space and freedom to make his announcement on his own terms and at the right time.
David McAardle, the League’s head of equality, diversity and inclusion, said: “What the great work Blackpool has done, as well as other football stakeholders, is plot a route map that others can follow.”
Bispham-born Daniels has been a prolific goalscorer for the Blackpool youth team and made his first senior appearance in the final match of the season just ended, at Peterborough.