Nile Ranger

Nile Ranger (born 11 April 1991) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker.

He is currently a free agent.

In July 2008, director of football at Newcastle, Dennis Wise, brought Ranger to Newcastle United.

Ranger made his academy debut against Leicester City on 23 August 2008 and made his debut for the reserve team against Sunderland at St James' Park on 1 September 2008.

He impressed hugely in these levels, finishing with 15 goals for the Under-18s and seven for the reserves in his first season on Tyneside.

Previously with Crystal Palace and Southampton, Ranger finished his youth career at Newcastle United, where he made his professional debut and was part of their team which won the Football League Championship in 2009–10.

Later on in his spell at St James's Park, he was loaned to Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday.

He played international football for England U19.

That resulted in his winning the "Wor Jackie Milburn Trophy" in 2009.

He was subsequently rewarded by then-manager Alan Shearer with a new and improved three-and-a-half-year contract.

Ranger's Newcastle debut came as an added-time substitute for Shola Ameobi against West Bromwich Albion in the Championship on 8 August 2009.

He made his first senior start against Leicester City on 31 August, where he won the man of the match award; he played just over 84 minutes before being substituted and received a standing ovation from fans.

He scored his first senior goal for the club in a 2–0 win over Coventry City on 9 December, after coming on as a substitute for Peter Løvenkrands.

Ranger scored the second of his two league goals that season in a 2–0 home win against Crystal Palace on 27 January 2010, as Newcastle ended the season as champions and were promoted to the Premier League.

After appearing as an unused substitute in the first two Premier League games for Newcastle, he started in the Football League Cup wins over Accrington Stanley and Chelsea.

He scored the first equalising goal in the game at Stamford Bridge on 22 September 2010, appearing in a right-wing berth, as Newcastle went on to triumph 4–3.

Ranger signed a new 5 1⁄2-year contract on 3 December 2010, keeping him at the club until 2016.

He also started several games after, for a while, being the club's only fit striker after the sale of Andy Carroll to Liverpool and injuries to Shola Ameobi and Leon Best.

On 21 November 2011, having failed to appear for Newcastle in the season up to that date, Ranger signed on loan for Championship club Barnsley until 14 January 2012.

In his fifth game for Barnsley, a 1–0 away defeat to West Ham United on 17 December 2011, Ranger injured his foot.

His loan was cut short and he returned to Newcastle.

On 22 March 2012, he joined Sheffield Wednesday in League One on loan until the end of the 2011–12 season.

After leaving Newcastle by mutual consent in 2013, he went on to play for Swindon Town, Blackpool and Southend United in the English Football League, with his spells at all three clubs being hindered by disciplinary issues including multiple absences from training.

On 19 January 2013, Ranger criticised the Newcastle fans on Twitter for booing the team off after a 2–1 home loss to fellow strugglers Reading.

He left Newcastle by mutual consent on 1 March 2013.

Ranger joined Swindon Town of League One on a one-year deal, with the option of a second, on 16 August 2013.

He was signed despite his ongoing rape case.

Ranger scored his first goal for Swindon on 27 August against Queens Park Rangers in the League Cup and his first league goal in the following game four days later, a 5–0 home win against Crewe Alexandra.

He was a regular in the side until early November, scoring four more goals.

On 14 November he failed to report to the club for training after being given a period of leave.

He played one more game before again failing to turn up at the club.

He made his Premier League debut on 16 October, coming off the bench in the 89th minute in a 2–2 draw against Wigan Athletic.

He made a host of substitute appearances for Newcastle after that, notably in the 1–0 away win to Arsenal, when he turned past Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny and was through on goal before the latter tugged him down and received a red card.

Ranger, who was incarcerated for involvement in armed robbery as a teenager, served a prison sentence for fraud in 2017.

Born in Wood Green in North London, Ranger attended Alexandra Park School.

He began his football career at Crystal Palace Football Academy and was at their development centre from a young age.

He was with the Protec Football Development School for a few weeks before being scouted by Southampton.

His career was almost over before it began, as whilst playing for the club he was sentenced to 11 weeks in a Young Offender's Institute for his part in an armed street robbery in Muswell Hill committed before signing for the club.

He returned to Southampton after completing his sentence, but was eventually released as a player with a bad reputation.

He was offered terms by Swindon Town after a successful trial before Newcastle signed him.