NILE Ranger insists he is far from finished with football.

The former Southend United striker has not played since leaving Boreham Wood towards the end of the last season.

But the 31-year-old striker is still working hard to maintain his fitness.

And Ranger wants clubs to judge him as he is now and not look back on his troublesome past.

“I’m keeping myself ticking over ready for my next club and I know I will get one, I just need to get that hunger back,” said Ranger.

“It’s there ish at the moment but when I get a chance I know I’ll get fit and really give it my all but it’s disheartening when clubs just say no.

“I’m not being arrogant but I’m better than the strikers they have at their club and they’re saying no to me because of my past and something that happened so long ago.

“They’re not looking at me now.

“I’m 31 now and I’m a dad, so I’ve grown up.

“They’re not looking at what I can do for them on the pitch they’re just thinking ‘oh same old Nile’ and looking at what happened in about 1983 or whatever it was.

“It’s the past and it’s silly because they know what I can do on the pitch and I do too.

“I’m keeping myself fit.

“I train on my own and I play football with my mates as well so I’m ready for my next chance.”

Ranger was given his first chance with the Shrimpers in the summer of 2016 when he signed having previously not played since November 2014.

And the striker relished that time at Roots Hall.

“It was a blast,” said Ranger.

“I had a real blast at Southend and the fans were great with me.

“I think they had about three songs for me and I’ll always have a soft spot for them.

“I had a break from football before going to Southend and they got me my love back for football.

“It brought me that spark back and it was a special place for me.

“I’ve had good times in my career elsewhere but Southend gave me a spring in my step again.

“I fell out of love with football but Ron Martin and Phil Brown gave me a chance and I think I took it with both hands.”

However, Ranger was released in January 2018 and now regrets the way he behaved in the latter stages of his time with the Shrimpers.

“I started to mess round again,” said Ranger.

“I had my stint in jail when something old caught up with me but Southend showed loyalty and kept me.

“They gave me a new contract but I got too complacent.

“I started getting lazy and I do have regrets about it because my career could’ve taken off again from there.”

Ranger then spent another long spell in footballing wilderness before coming back to Blues in February 2021.

But his second spell was to be short-lived due to a groin injury suffered on his debut against Salford City.

“I got 11 minutes and then got injured,” said Ranger.

“I still think about it now and it was so annoying.

“I got the injury just slipping but straight away I knew it was bad.

“I had to have surgery and then it got sceptic but that was my fault too.

“I didn’t take my medication at times and I didn’t rest up enough with it either.

“But I’d just had my son and everything was changing but I should have looked after myself better.”

Boreham Wood – who visit Roots Hall in the FA Trophy on Saturday – was to be Ranger’s next professional club.

But, after signing in December 2021, he made just four substitute appearances before moving on.

“I don’t know what it was but I didn’t ever really play,” said Ranger.

“You would think because of that and the manager not picking me that I wouldn’t like him but Luke Garrard is a top guy and a really good manager.

“He had his team and they were doing well but I didn’t ever really get a chance.

“I came on for a couple of minutes in the cup but never played a single minute in the league.

“They made me feel welcome there and I like the chairman Danny Hunter there too but I wasn’t getting the minutes a player like me should’ve done so it didn’t work out.”

Ranger has not played since his last appearance for Boreham Wood at Everton back in March.

But he will be keeping a close eye on their match with Blues this weekend and even hinted at trying to set up another Roots Hall appearance of his own.

“Of course I’ll look for the score on Saturday, I do it every week for Southend,” said Ranger.

“I love that they’re doing well and I really hope they go up this season.

“I haven’t actually called Southend about coming back but maybe I will.

“I think maybe I’ve done my time there but you never know what can happen in football do you?”