Nile Ranger plays first game back in football after serving just TEN weeks of eight-month sentence for online banking fraud
But the former Newcastle striker couldn't help his team Southend to victory as the Shrimpers drew 0-0 at home to Rochdale
NILE RANGER played for the first time since being released from prison but couldn't help Southend to victory against 10-man Rochdale yesterday.
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But he was released after serving 10 weeks of his sentence due to "his excellent custodial behaviour".
He immediately linked up with League One outfit Southend for training, and came off the bench yesterday in the 0-0 draw against Rochdale.
Shrimpers boss Phil Brown said: "It was a big bonus getting Nile back out there again but we were too one dimensional when he came on.
"He's been working hard in training and he could play for even longer for the under 23s on Monday now."
During the case at Wood Green Crown Court, it was heard that one women lost more than £2,000 in the scam.
Aseany Duncan, 19, from Enfield, North London, was also found guilty and given the same sentence for the same offence.
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The court heard the pair had conspired to use the back details of Diane Bloss in February 2015 and move £2,090 from one account to another.
The case against Reanne Morgan, 18, was dropped due to a lack of evidence.
This is the latest in a string of controversies involving Ranger.
The former Blackpool and Newcastle forward was suspended by Southend in February after he admitted taking cocaine.
Ranger confessed to using the Class-A drug and MDMA after random drug-testers arrived at the club’s training ground.
He has been in trouble since the age of 15, when he was sent to a Young Offenders Institute for his part in a street robbery in London.
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Since becoming a professional footballer, he has been involved in a host of incidents, including posing with a replica gun, being charged with being drunk and disorderly, being fined by the FA for making homophobic comments, being fined for causing criminal damage and being found not guilty of rape.
Upon his release Southend said in a statement: "Nile may regard himself as fortunate but will remain under an evening home curfew for the next five to six weeks."