Jake Daniels
{{short description|English footballer (born 2005)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Jake Daniels
| image =
| full_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|2005|1|8}}
| birth_place = Bispham, England
| height =
| position = Forward
| currentclub = Warrington Rylands 1906
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 = 2012–2022
| youthclubs1 = Blackpool
| years1 = 2022–
| clubs1 = Blackpool
| caps1 = 1
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2022
| clubs2 = → Bamber Bridge (loan)
| caps2 = 5
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2024
| clubs3 = → Bradford Park Avenue (loan)
| caps3 = 12
| goals3 = 4
| years4 = 2024–
| clubs4 = → Warrington Rylands 1906 (loan)
| caps4 = 0
| goals4 = 0
| club-update = 14:20, 28 October 2024 (UTC)
| ntupdate =
}}
Jake Daniels (born 8 January 2005) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Warrington Rylands 1906 on loan from {{English football updater|Blackpoo}} club Blackpool.
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.{{Cite web |access-date = 19 May 2022 |last=Mcginlay |first=Sean |date=3 May 2022 |title=Neil Critchley impressed by Blackpool talent as youth side look for silverware |url=https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/blackpool-rochdale-championship-critchley-daniels-23847296 |website=LancsLive}}
He signed his first professional contract with the club on 25 February 2022,{{Cite web|url=https://the72.co.uk/264133/blackpool-secure-contract-agreement-with-prolific-youngster-jake-daniels/|title=Blackpool secure contract agreement with prolific youngster Jake Daniels|date=25 February 2022|first = James | last = Ray | access-date = 19 May 2022 | website=The 72}} and joined Northern Premier League side Bamber Bridge on loan on 26 March for the remainder of the 2021–22 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sport/football/blackpool-fc/blackpool-prospect-jake-daniels-believes-bamber-bridge-loan-spell-could-be-the-making-of-him-3628350|work = Blackpool Gazette | access-date = 19 May 2022 | first = Matt | last = Scrafton | date = 26 March 2022| title=Blackpool prospect Jake Daniels believes Bamber Bridge loan spell could be the making of him }} Daniels was sent off on his debut for Bamber Bridge in a 1–0 win against Basford United; he made five appearances in his loan spell, scoring once in a 4–0 win away win at Hyde United.{{Cite web|url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/bamber-bridge/appearances/2021-2022/jake-daniels/937630|title=Bamber Bridge – Appearances – Jake Daniels – 2021-2022| access-date = 18 August 2024 |website=Football Web Pages}}
Daniels 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/peterborough-united-blackpool-championship-critchley-23891608|title=Blackpool player ratings vs Peterborough as poor defensive display costs Pool|first=Sean|last=Mcginlay|date=7 May 2022| access-date = 19 May 2022 |website=LancsLive}}
On 3 February 2024, Daniels joined Bradford Park Avenue on loan.{{Cite web |last=FC |first=Blackpool |date=2024-02-03 |title=Jake Daniels Joins Bradford Park Avenue On Loan |url=https://blackpoolfc.co.uk/news/2024/february/03/jake-daniels-joins-bradford-park-avenue-on-loan/ |access-date=2024-02-03 |website=Blackpool FC |language=en}} He made 12 league appearances for Park Avenue, scoring four times.{{Cite web|url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/bradford-park-avenue/appearances/2023-2024/jake-daniels/962622|title=Bradford (Park Avenue) – Appearances – Jake Daniels – 2023-2024| access-date = 18 August 2024 |website=Football Web Pages}}
On 20 September 2024, he joined Warrington Rylands 1906 on a month-long loan.{{Cite web |last=FC |first=Blackpool |date=2024-09-20 |title=Daniels Joins Warrington Rylands On Loan |url=https://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/news/2024/september/20/daniels-joins-warrington-rylands-on-loan/ |access-date=2024-09-21 |website=Blackpool FC |language=en}} On 26 October 2024, he scored a goal in a 4–0 win against Ossett United in the first round of the FA Trophy, and was named man of the match.{{Cite web |last=Media |date=2024-10-26 |title=Warrington Rylands vs Ossett United {{!}} Isuzu FA Trophy {{!}} Match Report |url=https://warringtonrylandsfc.co.uk/warrington-rylands-vs-ossett-united-isuzu-fa-trophy-match-report/ |access-date=2024-10-28 |website=Warrington Rylands FC |language=en-US}} On 18 February 2025, he scored both goals in Warrington's 2–0 victory Leek Town in the Northern Premier League; he was named man of the match.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-19 |title=Daniels at the double to help Warrington Rylands back to winning ways |url=https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/sport/24946240.warrington-rylands-2-leek-town-0-jack-daniels-scores-brace/ |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=Warrington Guardian |language=en}}
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.{{Cite web |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12614531/jake-daniels-blackpool-forward-becomes-uks-first-active-male-professional-footballer-to-come-out-publicly-as-gay |title=Jake Daniels: Blackpool forward becomes UK's first active male professional footballer to come out publicly as gay |date=16 May 2022 |access-date=16 May 2022 |website=Sky Sports}} He cited fellow footballer Josh Cavallo, Thetford Town manager Matt Morton, and diver Tom Daley as helping him come out.{{Cite web |last=Storey |first=Daniel |url=https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/jake-daniels-coming-out-gay-beautiful-moment-change-british-football-forever-1633724 | title=Jake Daniels coming out as gay is a beautiful moment that could change British football forever |date=16 May 2022 |access-date=16 May 2022 |website=i News}} His decision to come out was praised by the then British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Football Association president Prince William and England captain Harry Kane.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61472894|title=Others will follow Daniels' path, says Lineker| access-date = 19 May 2022 | date = 17 May 2022 | publisher = BBC }}
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;{{Cite web |title=Blackpool's Jake Daniels nominated for prestigious award following brave decision to come out as gay |url=https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sport/football/blackpool-fc/blackpools-jake-daniels-nominated-for-prestigious-award-following-brave-decision-to-come-out-as-gay-3749331 |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk |date=29 June 2022 |language=en}} he also won the Gamechanger Award at the 2023 Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, hosted by British gay magazine Attitude.{{cite web |author=Attitude Staff |date=October 12, 2023 |title=Here are all the winners from the 2023 Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, powered by Jaguar |url=https://www.attitude.co.uk/life/attitude-awards-2023-winners-from-the-2023-virgin-atlantic-attitude-awards-powered-by-jaguar-449028/ |work=www.attitude.co.uk}}
On 28 October 2024, Sky Sports premiered a short documentary film directed and produced by Michael Gunning called Beneath the Surface about Jake Daniels.{{Cite web |last=Holmes |first=Jon |date=2024-10-28 |title='I was in a bubble': Jake Daniels talks to Michael Gunning about being an out gay footballer |url=https://sportsmedialgbt.com/jake-daniels-michael-gunning-beneath-the-surface-sky-sports-blackpool-football-gay-lgbtq |access-date=2024-10-28 |website=Sports Media LGBT+ |language=en-GB}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerway|jake-daniels/806778}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Daniels, Jake}}
Category:People from Bispham, Blackpool
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Blackpool F.C. players
Category:Bamber Bridge F.C. players
Category:Bradford (Park Avenue) A.F.C. players
Category:Warrington Rylands 1906 F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Northern Premier League players
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:English LGBTQ footballers
Category:English gay sportsmen