Blackpool footballer comes out as gay

[bitchstewie]

Must admit when I saw this my first reaction was "so what?" but reading a little further this seems like it's still a bit of a no go area in professional football.

Jake Daniels: Blackpool player says coming out is 'a massive relief'

That takes some massive guts to do at 17 years old

[Rufus Stone]

Who cares!

[A500leroy]

Good lad

[Electro1980]

Football still has a serious problem with homophobia. Very brave of him and I applaud him for the courage.

[Countdown]

Rufus Stone said:

Who cares!

I'm sure he cares, plus it's going to encourage all the others who feel they've got to live a lie.

[SlimJim16v]

Let's hope he gets full support from his team and their fans.

[Challo]

Rufus Stone said:

Who cares!

Its a huge deal in professional men's sports. Do you know many other gay footballers or rugby players?

Given the macho image footballers portray you hope he gets the support from the club and his team mates.

[rjfp1962]

Good luck to him.. Should't have to live through his whole career not being who he really is..

[Sheets Tabuer]

Hats off to the lad, brave move in the world of football.

Before anyone starts I asked my gay son and he didn't know either but will he continue to use the same changing rooms?

[andyA700]

Very brave, the best of luck to him.

[gregs656]

Hopefully a premium league player follows suit.

[Stuart70]

Well done to the lad.

As someone else said, I hope this starts a change in football culture, with others feeling able to declare their sexuality if they wish to.

[williamp]

It says a lot about football that he felt the need to "come out". Was a newspaper trying to announce this as a story??

[Jasandjules]

It is a shame that there is such an issue in football that this is news.

[bad company]

Jasandjules said:

It is a shame that there is such an issue in football that this is news.

That’s what I was about to say. I don’t see anything newsworthy here.

[Driver101]

Jasandjules said:

It is a shame that there is such an issue in football that this is news.

It's hardly an issue just related to football.

[gregs656]

bad company said:

That’s what I was about to say. I don’t see anything newsworthy here.

First UK professional footballer to come out before retirement in 3 decades, seems like news to me.

[smn159]

Sheets Tabuer said:

will he continue to use the same changing rooms?

Why wouldn't he?

[gregs656]

smn159 said:

Why wouldn't he?

And he felt like it was a good idea to ask his gay son that question, apparently

[Antony Moxey]

As has been said already, it's newsworthy because he's a professional footballer. The only other pro footballer that I can recall ever announcing he was gay was Justin Fashanu, and that was (I think) back in the 90s.Good on the lad, hope people treat him as they would anyone else - it's 2022, not 1972.