His has been a life lived less ordinary.
Less than eighteen months after joining Southend United, Nile Ranger has today had his contract terminated. In an official statement released by the struggling League One club, "reoccurring disciplinary issues, including timekeeping," proved too burdensome to bother with any longer.
In reality, Ranger is a player whose off-field distractions stretch far beyond the remit of arriving to training on time.
Most recently, Ranger was convicted for his involvement in an online-banking scam. Sentenced to eight months in prison at the tail end of last season, Ranger was released after 10 weeks for his exemplary behaviour.
Just in time for the start of the new reason, he did have to persevere with an electronic tag around his ankle for a number of weeks thereafter - a hindrance that once caused him to miss an evening kick-off against Shrewsbury Town.
BYEEEEEEEEEEEEE 😘 pic.twitter.com/v96OETYAkb
— Nile Ranger (@NilePowerRanger) September 22, 2017
Originally from London, Ranger moved to Newcastle as a 16-year old. Signed by then Director of Football Dennis Wise, his obvious talent never really seemed to progress beyond his proclivity for messing about.
Questioned about possession of a replica gun, charged for drunk & disorderly conduct, arrested on suspicion of assault, fined for using homophobic insults on Twitter - all these in the space of less than a year as he made his Premier League breakthrough in 2011.
Deemed to be worth less than the hassle he brought subsequent clubs, his spells with Swindon Town and Blackpool both concluded in much the same manner as his latest dismissal from Southend.
While one could excuse certain youthful mistakes, the aforementioned incidents would seemingly recur over and over again as he moved from club to club - the lowest point coming with his recent arrest while a Southend player.
Not that it seems to have dissuaded Ranger's enthusiasm for making light of it all.
Can't even enjoy my SMARTIES IN PEACE LOL 😂 #BANTA #WentDownLovely #AfterSomeDecentTraining 😍⚽️ pic.twitter.com/b7XyiMMRw2
— Nile Ranger (@NilePowerRanger) August 24, 2017
Ranger's decent run of scoring form somehow led him into trouble earlier this season also.
Having scored a penalty against Fleetwood Town, Ranger proceeded to pull off his boot and mimic a Scarface-esque slaying down of the crowd.
Said to represent the "ammunition in his boots", it was nonetheless another bizarre move.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AIERt3QzcM
Unquestionably, some club will be willing to take a chance on a player who has packed so much drama into so few years.
Despite being 26, Ranger has only managed to play 160 odd games, scoring 26 goals - 24-year old Harry Kane has played over 250 by comparison, and scored ... well, there's no need to labour the difference there.
A master of self-destruction, what Ranger does now is anyone's guess.
