At least 20 footballers Premier League and Champnship are gay but they're aaid to e out says ex-club boss - Mirror Onle

Contents:

• JAKE DANIELS BE FIRST UK MALE FOOTBALLER TO E OUT AS GAY SCE 1990
• GIANT MURAL ON NORWICH PUB HONOURS JT FASHANU, ENGLAND'S FIRST OPENLY GAY FOOTBALLER
• AT LEAST 20 FOOTBALLERS PREMIER LEAGUE AND CHAMPNSHIP ARE GAY BUT THEY'RE AAID TO E OUT SAYS EX-CLUB BOSS
• HERE ARE EIGHT OUT AND PROUD MALE GAY FOOTBALLERS
• A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL 61 OUT GAY PLAYERS THE WOMEN’S FOOTBALL PREMIER LEAGUE
• FIRST OPENLY GAY FOOTBALLER ANNOUNC ROLE NEW RUPL'S DRAG RACE SERI
• JAKE DANIELS: BLACKPOOL FORWARD BE UK'S FIRST ACTIVE MALE PROFSNAL FOOTBALLER TO E OUT PUBLICLY AS GAY
• 17-YEAR-OLD SOCCER PLAYER OUT, BEG THE UK'S ONLY OPENLY GAY PROFSNAL FOOTBALLER
• ATRALIAN FOOTBALLER JOSH CAVALLO BE ONLY OPENLY GAY MALE PROFSNAL PLAYER
• GAY PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALLER 'VERY LIKELY' TO E OUT NEXT YEAR, SAYS JT FASHANU'S NIECE

JAKE DANIELS BE FIRST UK MALE FOOTBALLER TO E OUT AS GAY SCE 1990

The Blackpool forward Jake Daniels has end s of silence wh men’s football to bee the first player the UK to e out as gay sce Jt Fashanu 1990. Photograph: Pl Dennis/TGS Photo/ShutterstockDaniels’s revelatn is a strikg landmark that when men’s football is more engaged wh social issu than any recent time, but still unable to ce progrs LGBTQ reprentatn wh the year Alai Uned’s Josh Cavallo beme the only male top-flight profsnal footballer the world to e out as gay, but others are yet to follow.

In six months the men’s World Cup will be played Qatar, where homosexualy is illegal, and Cavallo revealed to the Guardian he would be “sred” to play at the tournament, the pnacle of world English football specifilly, the shadow of the talented and unfulfilled Fashanu still lgers over the game. The England ternatnal me out at the end of his reer and was to take his own life eight years later, Fashanu, Jt’s niece, who ns a charable foundatn his name, said that Daniels’s cisn would “e as a huge fort to the many footballers at all levels of the game still secretly livg as gay and who still feel unable to e out”. A giant mural of England's first openly gay footballer has been unveiled on the si of a Fashanu remas the only male profsnal player to nfirm he was homosexual - amid fears he would be "outed" by a natnal newspaper 1990 - and was ducted to the footballg Hall of Fame spe now beg seen as an spiratn the fight agast homophobia and discrimatn sport, the proud Canary took his own life 1998 - wrg his suici note that beg gay and a personaly was "so hard" former Norwich Cy striker, who beme the UK's first black £1m player when he was sold to Nottgham Fort, ntu to be seen as a legend at the Norfolk Champnship "wonr strike" agast Liverpool at Carrow Road 1980 went on to w Match of the Day's goal of the season now his face has taken pri of place on the si of a Canari supporters pub.

GIANT MURAL ON NORWICH PUB HONOURS JT FASHANU, ENGLAND'S FIRST OPENLY GAY FOOTBALLER

A mural of former Norwich Cy player Jt Fashanu, England's first openly gay footballer, has appeared on the Fat Cat and Canary.

Great player, sred an amazg goal, the first £1m black player, me out as gay, " he said.

There was a lot of homophobia the prs and media and he was hound for the fact that he me out as beg gay. At least 20 footballers Premier League and Champnship are gay but they're aaid to e out says ex-club bossOpenly gay Leeds Uned director David Haigh says players nfid him - and he believ clubs uld benef mercially if stars e outDavid Haigh durg his time at Leeds UnedAt least 20 football stars are gay and “aaid” to e out, a top club’s ex-director claims.

AT LEAST 20 FOOTBALLERS PREMIER LEAGUE AND CHAMPNSHIP ARE GAY BUT THEY'RE AAID TO E OUT SAYS EX-CLUB BOSS

He was openly gay durg a spell as Leeds Uned MD 2013-14 and says many homosexual players nfid him as a rult. “Young stars advertise brands wh sponsors and beg gay is still seen as a handip. Amerin player Robbie Rogers me out as gay.

“I also thk supportg gay players would be very beneficial to a club mercially.

HERE ARE EIGHT OUT AND PROUD MALE GAY FOOTBALLERS

He spoke out after Belgium fenr Carl Hoefkens told how he had played wh two Premier League footballers who were gay but publicly ‘ the closet’. Mr Haigh was openly gay wh board members and fans at Elland Road, and says many gay players nfid him as a rult. “My figure on the number of gay players is probably a gross unr timate.

A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL 61 OUT GAY PLAYERS THE WOMEN’S FOOTBALL PREMIER LEAGUE

Some top stars are open about beg gay wh team mat, but feel too sred to tell their fans, Mr Haigh claims.

FIRST OPENLY GAY FOOTBALLER ANNOUNC ROLE NEW RUPL'S DRAG RACE SERI

“They go to gay bars and they do not hi their partners.

Dad-of-two Hoefkens, 39, who played for Stoke and Wt Brom om, told Belgian newspaper De Zondag: “I played alongsi three gay footballers, cludg one who was a genuely big name.

” Mr Haigh was ntacted by gay players om different top flight clubs, but adms was difficult for them to go public about their sexualy.

JAKE DANIELS: BLACKPOOL FORWARD BE UK'S FIRST ACTIVE MALE PROFSNAL FOOTBALLER TO E OUT PUBLICLY AS GAY

“Beg gay is still seen as a handip and players get enough abe on the pch as is. Robbie Rogers of the USA has e out as gay.

17-YEAR-OLD SOCCER PLAYER OUT, BEG THE UK'S ONLY OPENLY GAY PROFSNAL FOOTBALLER

“I don’t thk gay footballers would face a terrible time today, ” he said.

” But he do believe certa untri ‘own upon’ gay relatnships and so club ownership, and sponsors, uld be a problem. And he add: “I thk supportg gay players would be very beneficial om a mercial perspective. ” There are 4, 000 profsnal footballers the UK, but not one is openly gay.

ATRALIAN FOOTBALLER JOSH CAVALLO BE ONLY OPENLY GAY MALE PROFSNAL PLAYER

It seems that beg an out gay man and a soccer player is still somethg that’s greeted wh homophobia.

GAY PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALLER 'VERY LIKELY' TO E OUT NEXT YEAR, SAYS JT FASHANU'S NIECE

However, there have been several pneerg male gay footballers who cid to e out of the closet and proclaim their sexualy to the world.

A w for gay rights and helpg to pave the way for other gay players to feel safe enough to e out of the closet. Here are eight of some of the most well-known out-and-proud gay footballers. Consired the first openly gay male Ain soccer player, Lekoloane me out publicly 2015.

The South Ain player acknowledg that most of his teammat accepted his sexualy, however, he has faced homophobic slurs om opposg teams. He also said that he has met several closeted gay soccer players Ai, where homosexualy is crimalised several untri. I don’t wish the hostily I felt on anyone, bee not everyone n survive homophobia a sport like football, ” he told MambaOnle recently.