NILE Ranger remains convinced he can rescue his career.

The striker has not taken to the field since leaving Southend United in January 2018.

But the 28-year-old is still hopeful he will be handed another opportunity.

“It’s been a while but you have to keep the faith and keep on believing so that’s what I’m doing,” said Ranger.

“Clubs do still show an interest but it hasn’t gone much further yet.

“Clubs got in touch this summer but I’ve had no concrete offers so far.

“I think they get put off because of my past and my reputation which is fair enough.

“But I know I have the talent and I do think the penny has finally dropped with me now.

“It’s just taken me a lot longer than everyone else.”

Ranger has attracted controversy for his off-field antics throughout his career and went almost two years without a club prior to signing for Southend in the summer of 2016.

And things initially went well for the striker with the Shrimpers.

“I have never been made so welcome at a club before, it was honestly like having another family,” said Ranger.

“The chairman was unbelievable to me. He went above and beyond to help me and bent over backwards to try and get the best out of me.

“The manager, Phil Brown, was good to me as well and I was so hungry to do well.

“The first season went well too. I remember winning 3-0 at Sheffield United on my debut and I even scored with my left foot at Bury a few months later, something I hadn’t ever done before.”

Ranger followed that up by also enjoying the most prolific spell of his career - scoring in four successive matches, with the Shrimpers winning them all.

One of those goals came away at Coventry City – Blues’ opponents this weekend – and Ranger began to feel back to his best.

“I hadn’t ever been a prolific goalscorer but I had my confidence back by that point and was feeling good,” said Ranger.

“I scored a few goals and was back on track.”

Blues just missed out on the play-offs at the end of the 2016/17 season.

But, just as Ranger was expected to spearhead a promotion push for the Shrimpers during the next campaign, things again started to go wrong for the striker.

The former Newcastle United frontman missed the start of the season after spending 10 weeks in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud.

And Ranger found it hard to rediscover his best form.

“I was spending 23 hours a day in a cell and sometimes it was even longer than that,” said the former England under-19 international.

“I won’t ever be going back there but it was really tough to catch up after that.

“I didn’t have a pre-season and it probably showed.”

However, that was not Ranger’s only problem as his timekeeping also infuriated those around him and ultimately led to his contract being cancelled prematurely.

“I know it’s not acceptable for a professional footballer to be late like I was but I have always had trouble with my timekeeping,” said Ranger.

“I was sleeping at the wrong times. I would be tired after training so would sleep then but then that meant I couldn’t sleep again until much later.

“I didn’t get in on time and that’s why my time at Southend ended.

“That’s all it was.”

But Ranger still regrets not making more of his opportunity at Roots Hall.

“I do regret what happened big style,” said Ranger.

“I know I abused the opportunity that was given to me. I took it for granted and was lackadaisical.

“I don’t let it eat away at me anymore but it is a shame the way things worked out because I could tell people wanted me to do well there.

“The fans liked me, the staff liked me and most of the players did too so it was a shame.”

But Ranger is still keen to see the Shrimpers succeed.

“I’m a Southend fan now,” said Ranger.

“Arsenal are my team but Southend are my club now too.

“I had never been anywhere like it and I hope they do really well this season.”