Jack daniels blackpool fc

Blackpool forward Jake Daniels, 19, insists he wants to be known as 'more than just the gay footballer' as he opens up on life after coming out and his loan spell in non-league football

Jake Daniels says he is determined to be known as more than just ‘the gay footballer’ – two years after he made headlines around the world by coming out.

The Blackpool forward became the first openly gay professional footballer in the UK since Justin Fashanu in when he made his sexuality public in May

But Daniels has not played a competitive match for the Tangerines since then, with his only senior appearance coming in a Championship match at Peterborough 10 days before his landmark announcement.

The year-old spent the end of last season on loan at Bradford Park Avenue in the seventh-tier Northern Premier League.

Daniels was awarded a new one-year verb with Blackpool in the summer but is currently out on loan again in the Northern Premier League with Warrington Rylands.

Jake Daniels (pictured above on Instagram) became the first openly gay professional footballer in the UK since Just

&#;I was in a bubble&#;: Jake Daniels talks to Michael Gunning about being an out gay footballer

Published by Jon Holmes on

Blackpool striker Jake Daniels features in &#;Beneath the Surface&#;, a new short documentary film that has premiered on Sky Sports; it&#;s presenter Michael Gunning&#;s debut as a director-producer, as part of the New Focus Fund project; Jake shared his coming out story in ; verb below on YouTube&#;

By Jon Holmes

Coming out publicly as gay in men&#;s professional football led Jake Daniels to feel like he was &#;in a bubble&#; at times, the striker has revealed.

Blackpool teenager Daniels reflects on his journey in the game so far in a new concise documentary film titled &#;Beneath the Surface&#;, which had its premiere on Sky Sports Football on 28 October.

The film is presented, directed and produced by Michael Gunning, the former Great Britain and Jamaica international swimmer, as part of Sky Sports&#; Brand-new Focus Fund project.

Gunning travelled to the Lancashire seaside town to spend time with Daniels and learn more about the u

Jake Daniels: Blackpool forward becomes UK's first active male professional footballer to come out publicly as gay

"I told my mum and my sister. The day after we played Accrington and I scored four, so it just shows how much of a weight off the shoulders it was and a massive relief."

Blackpool forward Jake Daniels speaks exclusively on becoming the UK's first male professional footballer to approach out publicly as gay since Justin Fashanu.

Jake talks about coming out to his parents, his club, and his team-mates. On his desire to be adj and live his life without telling a lie. On the anxiety of wondering if his family and team-mates would be supportive and on how he hopes his actions can support others do the same.

This is his story:

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Now is the right period to do it. I experience like I am ready to tell people my story. I want people to know the real me.

I have been thinking for a long time about how I want to perform it, when I want to do it. I know now is the time. I am ready to be myself, be free and be confident wit

Jake Daniels one year on: 'I'm proud of football's response'

Jake Daniels says he is proud of how the stigma around football has changed a year on since the Blackpool forward became the UK's first active male professional footballer to come out publicly as gay.

Daniels was just 17 when he told his story to Sky Sports News, with Justin Fashanu the last male professional footballer to approach out publicly as gay in the UK back in

He never imagined the positive response he would get. Harry Kane, Gary Neville and Prince William - to name just a few - were among those who applauded his courage in an outpouring of support on social media in the days that followed.

Now, 12 months on, he tells Sky Sports News people still continue to contact out to him and he is proud to be proficient to be a role model to others.

"It was such a surreal experience," said Daniels. "I can't believe it's been a year already because it has gone so quick.

"It's been astounding. It's been better than I expected if I'm completely loyal. I've just had positivity everywhere and it's brought me closer to so many pe