Jake Daniels: Non-league boss Matt Morton proud of Blackpool youngster for coming out

Matt MortonThetford Town FC

Matt Morton, player-manager for ninth-tier Thetford Town, opened up about his sexuality in 2019

A non-league manager cited by Jake Daniels as one of the inspirations for his decision to come out as gay hopes his football career will now flourish.

The Blackpool forward, 17, came out publicly on Monday and is the only openly gay active men's professional footballer in the UK.

Thetford Town player-boss Matt Morton, who came out in 2019, was one of those he spoke to before his announcement.

"I am very, very proud of him," Morton told BBC Radio Norfolk.

"Jake reached out to me at the beginning of the year and we've been talking almost daily probably ever since.

"He's a very impressive young man, very brave and inspiring and determined to do the right thing for himself, but also for people potentially wanting to follow in his footsteps."

Daniels' announcement has attracted widespread support from around the world, including Harry Kane, former England captain Casey Stoney, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the Kick It Out Group and Amal Fashanu, niece of former Norwich and Nottingham Forest player Justin Fashanu who came out in 1990.

"He was determined right from the start that he wanted to come out at some point and to be his true, authentic self, but also realising that his sexuality doesn't define him," said Morton.

"He already is his true, authentic self and this is just an aspect of that that people weren't aware of. Now they are it's a weight off his shoulders. Hopefully we can now see his football career flourish, because he's 17 years old with a bright future ahead of him."

Morton said his story was different in that he did not realise he was gay until much later in life, and that the 18-month period until he came out was "one of the most stressful and difficult" of his life.

I am ready to be myself - Daniels

He has also been approached by other gay footballers anxious to find out about his experiences of doing so.

"I'm not prepared to say who they are, or what level they play at, or even what country they're in, but there have been quite a large number of people over the last few years that have reached out to me and those conversations will always remain confidential," he said.

"The fact that I could empower other people was a huge motivator for me and [is] for Jake as well, but he takes this on to another level and he'll have lots of people contacting him, not just in the short term, but in the future, to get the same advice and ask the same questions that he did of me.

"He's worked very hard and very smartly with his management team and the club at Blackpool to make sure this was done on his terms, and I'm delighted to see that come off for him."

The decision to come out publicly should always, though, remain a personal choice, Morton added.

"What I'd really like to see is people feel comfortable enough to do it. And if people don't, then I don't want to see them try.

"This is all about representation and showing people in a similar situation that it's not the end of your football career, it's potentially even the opposite and can ignite your career even further. You're not playing with that stress and anxiety that comes from hiding your sexuality as so many people who have done that in the past will pay testament to.

"If people want to come out on the back of that, that would be amazing but I'm certainly not, and never will, encourage people to do something they're not comfortable doing. It has to be right for the individual."

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