I was too wild for Newcastle United - I should still be a Premier League footballer
Former Newcastle United bad boy Nile Ranger has insisted he would have “stayed at the top” without his “wild” off-field lifestyle.
Two years after being sentenced to a young offenders’ institute, Newcastle took a punt on a 17-year-old who had been released by Crystal Palace. Dennis Wise brought Ranger to Tyneside and his impressive form at youth level saw him earn the Wor Jackie award.
Big things were expected, with Alan Shearer giving the youngster a three-and-a-half-year contract during his short stint as manager. However, a string of controversies soon made Ranger a hindrance at St James’ Park.
Legal battles aside, which included a dropped rape charge, comments criticising fans for booing the team against Reading in January 2013 proved the final straw. Alan Pardew had enough and shipped him out, with his career never returning to the big time. Watch on Shots! Geordie Journos reflect on Newcastle United takeover - three years on
Now aged 33, Ranger is playing in the seventh division for Kettering Town. A more mature Ranger has honestly admitted he “messed up” - but claimed he has not given up hope.
“I had a decent career,” he told BBC Sport. “I was on decent money and then I messed it all up. Teammates, friends and managers would say ‘Nile, your chances are going to run out’. I wouldn’t listen. I was wild, wild, wild.”
“I know I have baggage. If I had behaved I would have stayed at the top, but I was too unruly. I could play in any team at my age if I’m fit. It has to be a fit me, not a rusty me. But the rust is coming off.
"People would cut their leg off for the opportunity I had. I would bring all my friends up to Newcastle (from London) for parties. I had more money than sense. There was no discipline from me. I was living life in the fast lane.
“Moving to Newcastle, in my head I thought I'd made it. Looking back, I've realised the many silly decisions that led to the situations I found myself in. I messed up."
Ranger also revealed a time when Kevin Keegan pulled him aside for oversleeping before a game against Arsenal. The striker added: "He (Keegan) said, ‘Listen, if you're late again I'll make you pull out your gold tooth and sell it'.
"He still named me on the bench. It was a different world. I’d not been long out of the young offenders' institute - now I was getting changed next to Michael Owen."