SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown insists the club are still ‘in the dark’ on Nile Ranger’s release from prison.

Ranger - who was jailed after pleading guilty to online fraud - had been expected to be released a fortnight ago.

But the striker remains behind bars and Brown is now unsure when the 26-year-old will be returning to Roots Hall.

"I honestly don’t know what it is but something has happened unfortunately," said Brown.

"If I knew what it was I could tell you.

"I was told his was release date was July 24th but after that I haven’t heard anything so we're in the dark really.

"I’ve had half a dozen phone calls from Nile this summer.

"He wasn’t in a good place on two or three of those occasions but he was on the latter occasions because of the release date but that’s been and gone now and I don't know what's happened."