I went from the Prem to prison ‘hell’ filled with shower stabbings and cockroaches but now I’m eyeing an FA Cup shock
NILE RANGER sat in prison with his gut churning after eating half-cooked chicken and watching cockroaches crawling through cracks in the walls of his cell.
The ex-Newcastle striker, 33, was banged up at Pentonville in north London in 2017 after pleading guilty of committing online banking fraud.
He had conspired to swindle more than £2,000 from a woman two years earlier.
It completed a fall from grace for a highly-promising player who made 26 Premier League appearances for the Geordies before nose diving down the leagues.
Ranger swapped training and playing alongside stars such as Michael Owen, Fabricio Coloccini and Andy Carroll for mixing with criminals who boasted about such things as tossing an unfortunate soul into a car boot after cutting their fingers off!
But on Sunday he will be back on a football field with Southern Premier Kettering hoping to create some FA Cup magic as they host League Two Doncaster — having scored the winner in the previous round to topple League One Northampton.
To say Ranger is the ultimate model for any young professional NOT to follow is an understatement.
He told SunSport: “It was bad in prison, full of wrong ’uns, and no place to be if you’ve got your head screwed on.
“I had mine on compared to those people. I had just been silly, unruly and lacked discipline.
“There was this guy who told me he had put someone in a car boot and chopped off their fingers.
“I heard people planning murders and armed robberies when they got out.
“There were prisoners getting stabbed in the showers and drones flying in drugs and mobile phones. It was hell.”
Although sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court to serve eight months inside one of Britain’s most notorious jails, Ranger was released after 10 weeks for good behaviour — although he had to wear an electronic tag to make sure he was not up to no good.
Ranger said: “There were cockroaches coming through the gaps of the cell walls and door.
“We had to block those with towels and if you killed a cockroach others would appear from eggs they laid. There were mice running about as well. It was disgusting.
“The food was appalling. The chicken I’m certain wasn’t properly cooked.
“I was locked up 23 hours a day — using the hour outside my cell to exercise and shower.
“Some of the guards were arrogant — trying to make me feel small. They were jealous because I was a footballer. But I didn’t rise to it.
“I focused on getting out and thought, ‘I’m only going to be here for two or three months and playing football again.’
“I was at Southend and they were still paying my wages while in prison so that was always on my mind when the guards were belittling me.
“I felt the sentence was unfair. People have done far-worse and only got suspended sentences.
“I reckon the judge had already decided while having dinner with his wife the previous evening he was going to lock me up.”
Kept messing up
Ranger concedes he screwed up and wasted his incredible talent. Had he applied himself he could have had a good Premier League career.
But he kept messing up — despite countless chances.
Just shortly after signing for Southampton from Crystal Palace as a kid, he was banged up for 11 weeks in a young offenders institute for being involved in an armed robbery.
The Saints stuck by him then but lost patience after he stole his entire academy team’s kit and a box of chocolates from the kit lady.
He explained: “I don’t know why I took the chocolates but we had been told we could have some of the kit. The season had finished and Southampton were getting us new ones.
“I had friends at home in North London who loved football so I took everything, all the kit and boots. I was caught on camera and Southampton terminated my contract.”
Yet Ranger landed on his feet when Newcastle snapped him up and despite breaking into the first team and helping them win promotion from the Championship in 2010 and going on to play in the Premier League, he pressed the self-destruct button with a series of disciplinary problems.
He also had such a gambling addiction that the club got him banned from every casino in Newcastle. He was constantly late for training or did not show at all.
Kevin Keegan got so fed up with him when he started training with the first team, he told Ranger: “I’m going to pull out and sell your gold tooth if you’re late again because your wages will not be enough to cover the fine.”
Chris Hughton, who had a summit meeting with Ranger and his mum, and Alan Pardew, who banished him to train with the academy team until he sorted out his time-keeping, both tried in vain to save his career before the latter decided to let him go.
Swindon, Blackpool and Southend (twice) all took punts but to no avail — and after a spell with National League club Boreham Wood he crashed out of the game for 20 months before joining Kettering in September.
When he was a promising 18-year-old at Newcastle he was earning almost £10,000-a-week — and admits he would be penniless today if it was not for his beloved mum Karen.
He said: “When I was making the money I was, I didn’t appreciate it and was spunking it.
“My mum sorted out some property investments. I should’ve done way more. Had she not done that, I’d have nothing now.
“I’ve a bit of money to live on but cannot live a lavish lifestyle.
“Mum has always looked out for me and out of everyone I’ve upset with my actions she’s the one I regret hurting the most — along with all my family.”
Celebration promise
Ranger believes he has matured since becoming a dad. He has a three-year-old son Aziel and while he has since split from the mother, insists he prioritises being a good dad.
And while the striker knows seventh-tier Kettering is a world away from the level he reached, he still believes he can play in League One or Two.
But right now he wants to help the Poppies win promotion this season and help youngsters not make the same mistakes he has as well as inspire criminals serving time to mend their ways.
He said: “Prison is supposed to be a place where they rehabilitate you. I didn’t see any of that happening. In fact, jail can make people worse.
“I accept I’m not a good football role model — but I am a role model, one who made lots of mistakes, but who can teach people what NOT to do.
“I’ve already done a talk to some youngsters at an academy. I’ve been invited to schools and prisons. I’d like to use my experience to help others.
“But right now my focus is on enjoying the last part of my career and hopefully creating another FA Cup shock.”
And Ranger has promised to do one thing on live TV if he scores against Doncaster.
He said: “I have a tattoo on my lower lip of a smiley emoji. I am going to run to a TV camera and show my happy lip!”