Jake Daniels

Jake Daniels (born 8 January 2005) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL League One club Blackpool.

Jake Daniels
Personal information
Date of birth (2005-01-08) 8 January 2005
Place of birth Bispham, England
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Blackpool
Number 43
Youth career
2012–2022 Blackpool
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022– Blackpool 1 (0)
2022 → Bamber Bridge (loan) 5 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:05, 16 May 2022 (UTC)

Career

A youth product of Blackpool since the age of seven, Daniels began playing with their U18s in 2021 and was named Blackpool's youth team player of the season for 2020–21, scoring 30 goals for the U18s.[1] He signed his first professional contract with the club on 25 February 2022,[2] and joined Northern Premier League side Bamber Bridge on loan on 26 March for the remainder of the 2021–22 season.[3] He made his debut for the Blackpool senior side in a 5–0 EFL Championship loss to Peterborough United on 7 May, coming on as an 81st-minute substitute.[4]

In October 2023, Daniels won The Gamechanger Award in the 2023 Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards.[5]

Personal life

In May 2022 Daniels came out as gay, aged seventeen, becoming the UK's only male professional footballer to be publicly out at the time, and the first since Justin Fashanu in 1990.[6] He cited fellow footballer Josh Cavallo, Thetford Town manager Matt Morton, and diver Tom Daley as helping him come out.[7] His decision to come out was praised by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, FA president Prince William and England captain Harry Kane.[8] On 29 June, he was shortlisted in the Celebrity of the Year category for the 2022 National Diversity Awards for the "courageous decision" he made the previous month.[9]

References
  1. Mcginlay, Sean (3 May 2022). "Neil Critchley impressed by Blackpool talent as youth side look for silverware". LancsLive. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  2. Ray, James (25 February 2022). "Blackpool secure contract agreement with prolific youngster Jake Daniels". The 72. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  3. Scrafton, Matt (26 March 2022). "Blackpool prospect Jake Daniels believes Bamber Bridge loan spell could be the making of him". Blackpool Gazette. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  4. Mcginlay, Sean (7 May 2022). "Blackpool player ratings vs Peterborough as poor defensive display costs Pool". LancsLive. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  5. Attitude Staff (12 October 2023). "Here are all the winners from the 2023 Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, powered by Jaguar". www.attitude.co.uk.
  6. "Jake Daniels: Blackpool forward becomes UK's first active male professional footballer to come out publicly as gay". Sky Sports. 16 May 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  7. Storey, Daniel (16 May 2022). "Jake Daniels coming out as gay is a beautiful moment that could change British football forever". i News. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  8. "Others will follow Daniels' path, says Lineker". BBC. 17 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  9. "Blackpool's Jake Daniels nominated for prestigious award following brave decision to come out as gay". www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk. 29 June 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
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