Latest / GH Connects Lounge / Nile Ranger Ep4: | Newcastle, Life in the Fast Lane & Fatherhood

Transcript

Nile Ranger Ep4: | Newcastle, Life in the Fast Lane & Fatherhood · GH Connects Lounge

0:05
Nile Ranger, Premier League footballer, England and the 19s international.
0:11
Your journey through football has been very different the most.
0:13
When you look back at your journey, where does your mind go first?
0:18
That one's crazy.
0:21
That's a crazy question.
0:23
It's all over the place.
0:25
You know what I'm saying?
0:26
It could go anywhere.
0:27
There's so much time.
0:29
Well, let's go to you growing up.
0:31
What was Nile Ranger like as a kid?
0:34
I still ain't been diagnosed with this.
0:36
People say, check, ADHD.
0:38
But in school, I couldn't sit still, couldn't behave.
0:42
You know how it goes.
0:43
I just answer my pants.
0:44
One of them ones.
0:45
So school terms of things and just even forget the school.
0:49
Just me as a person.
0:50
I just was just active.
0:52
That's all I can say.
0:53
Active, active, active.
0:55
What was home life like then?
0:58
It was alright to be fair, I was mainly always at my gran's house all the time, like, that's where all my, like, my cousins and all my, like, the family did, would always be there so we could just mess around and do missions outside and little things like that.
1:14
But I was at home quite a bit with my mum and that, you know what I'm saying, but my gran's house is where we used to cause carnage.
1:22
Yeah.
1:23
When you say carnage.
1:25
That's carnage, man.
1:27
Grandma's blood pressure went high, put it that way.
1:30
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:31
Did you live with her?
1:32
No, I didn't live with her, but I was just always there.
1:35
What about your earliest memory then of football?
1:37
How did football begin?
1:39
I just think that, I always say it, I feel like in grandma's back garden, Wembley we call it, so there'll be six of us.
1:51
one person goes in goal and then the goalkeeper has to turn around and throw the ball back.
1:57
And then the first person to score goes through and then, yeah, it just keeps going.
2:03
And then obviously the two would be in the final.
2:07
I don't know, go from there.
2:08
I think it was Wembley in my Gran's back garden, to be honest.
2:11
Like a score pick a pair?
2:13
Scott, no, I don't think it's pick a pair.
2:15
Every man for themselves.
2:16
Sometimes we used to do the pair double sort of thing, but then used to get unfair kind of and man used to fight moaning.
2:23
And so when you're by yourself, you got to just fend for yourself sort of thing.
2:27
Were you the best?
2:29
say so I was always in the final so I'll say so who inspired you growing up as in football in life in life who inspired you if I talk about football
2:41
I'd say the likes of Ian Wright, Thierry Henry.
2:44
Seeing them guys on Match of the Day just gives you a different type of... Do you know what I'm saying?
2:49
It would definitely say Ian Wright.
2:51
He had the little gold tooth thing going on.
2:52
I thought, I like that.
2:54
Do you know what I'm saying?
2:55
Got the gold tooth myself.
2:56
Little things like that.
2:58
Thierry Henry.
2:59
He's an idol, ain't he?
3:01
Do you know what I'm saying?
3:02
He's definitely a baller I looked up to.
3:04
Did you support Arsenal when you called?
3:07
Of course I support Arsenal.
3:08
so my family and my mum said most of them are Tottenham so it was a bit like I was just always I was always a goon so you rebelled the family yeah rebelled man have to I'm a goon it's just in my just some people were just in me in me like it didn't matter if they support Spurs nah didn't matter do you remember the first game you went to
3:31
Yeah, I remember going to a game I can't, it's so far back.
3:35
I was young though, I was like probably like 11, 10.
3:39
I can't remember who, it was a Champions League game.
3:42
I can't remember who was against.
3:45
And I used to go to a soccer school.
3:47
They used to have a soccer school before the academy sort of thing in Highbury.
3:54
So I used to go to that every once a week, maybe twice a week.
3:58
But I couldn't get, I think it was, I can't remember what it was called, man, so far back.
4:02
But they used to have a spot where all the players used to go just underneath the academy at Highbury.
4:09
Twice a week, maybe.
4:11
Okay, so football became part of your life very quickly.
4:15
So quickly, just like in my face, and I loved it.
4:17
So that was the main thing.
4:19
What do you think made you different to everyone else at that age?
4:23
I don't know if I was really different.
4:25
I wouldn't say I was different.
4:26
I was just hungry.
4:27
I was just on it.
4:28
Like...
4:30
football, football, football.
4:31
It was just like that.
4:32
So I think I was just more hunger.
4:34
You know what I'm saying?
4:35
Yeah.
4:36
I wouldn't say I was different because there's many kids like me, but I just feel like some wasn't as hungry.
4:42
I would get new school shoes and just kick them out straight away.
4:46
My mum was like, what are you doing?
4:48
Don't kick out, this should change.
4:49
And I would just, anytime I see a footballer, I just want to do kick-ups or just do, do you know what I'm saying?
4:54
I knew it was just for me.
4:55
Did you actually dream at that point then that you'd become a professional footballer?
5:00
Dreaming of becoming one, yes, but was I feeling like one?
5:06
Maybe, you know, at times, you know, I was like, yeah, I'm the man.
5:08
I'm good because I was good.
5:09
I was like, yeah, I'm the man.
5:10
I'm going to make it.
5:11
I'm going to make it.
5:13
Well, your teenage years was definitely very different to the two other footballers.
5:17
Definitely different.
5:19
On one side, you've got this incredible football inability and clubs recognising your talent.
5:24
But away from football, life was going in a different direction.
5:28
Yeah.
5:29
What was your world like at that age?
5:32
What ages are we talking about?
5:34
So, around about 12, 13.
5:36
13.
5:38
I don't even know if I was still in school, but I got permanently excluded in year 9.
5:43
What was that for?
5:44
I was just a class clown.
5:46
You know, I wasn't one to just punch people up or I'll be the guy that bullies the bully.
5:52
Do you know what I'm saying?
5:53
But I was more in lesson, couldn't sit still for nothing.
5:58
So they excluded you for just bad behaviour?
6:01
Just being the class clown, like always trying to, just causing havoc.
6:06
I always say I'm havoc, man, but just causing havoc in classes.
6:11
And then the teacher will be like, Niall, sit down, sit down.
6:14
I'm going to put you on a report.
6:16
I remember the time they brought my mum into a lesson.
6:18
I always remember it giving me trauma.
6:20
I got trauma from this.
6:20
They brought her into a lesson?
6:22
Brought her into a lesson because I was trying everything to try to keep me in school.
6:27
on the laptop she's in the back of the class and obviously I'm quite popular in school so I'm like the girls are laughing at me like looking at one moment I'm like I can't wait for this day to be over but obviously they tried to do their best for me to stay in school like do you know what I'm saying because exams are coming all of these things but I just had ants in my pants and they couldn't sit still Who was the biggest influence around you?
6:56
I had everyone.
6:58
My dad was there, mum, everyone, but I just didn't listen.
7:02
What about the bad behaviour?
7:04
Is there an influence on that Or is that just you That was in me But I was easily influenced You're right But just friends Who were doing Other stuff Do you know what I'm saying I'd be like Alright let me just Follow to see what See what happens Do you know what I'm saying I was a follower Yeah And I just had to Just lock in and be like Need to stop doing this stuff You actually got potential Sort of thing
7:27
Yeah.
7:27
Did you ever feel like football was an escape for you?
7:30
Always.
7:31
Even now.
7:32
Even up to now.
7:32
I'm 35, so it still feels like that now.
7:35
Do you know what I'm saying?
7:36
But then it was definitely an escape.
7:39
Yeah, so you mentioned you got excluded then at 13.
7:43
We'll jump to 15.
7:44
Yeah, 15 you got real.
7:46
Yeah.
7:46
Because police and jail and all these things.
7:50
Exactly, yeah.
7:52
You got sent to young offenders institution.
7:55
Yeah.
7:56
Take me back to your life at that point.
7:58
Well, I was still in football.
7:59
Don't know if I was at Broad or Farm, Romford.
8:02
Oh, I can't remember the actual team, but...
8:05
So, 12, 13, I was at Crystal Palace got released because of school behaviour and whatnot.
8:09
Then, yeah, 15, it got real dark.
8:12
It got darkish a bit.
8:13
Like, it started getting into crime.
8:16
Started following people doing robberies.
8:17
Started taking phones and doing these little things here and there.
8:22
Burglary.
8:23
Like, little dumb things I see my friends doing.
8:24
I think, yeah, that looks fun, sort of thing.
8:26
Let me join in, like...
8:28
But it's not for me.
8:31
It was never for me.
8:31
Football was for me.
8:33
And luckily, Southampton court sort of signed me.
8:37
And then I had that going on.
8:39
When I locked in with Southampton, I was like, yeah.
8:42
And seeing all the players, their players' cars, all these nice things, their houses.
8:47
I was like, yo, going to the stadiums.
8:50
I was like, yeah, this is the life I want to be doing.
8:53
Do you know what I'm saying?
8:55
And I was like the main guy in my age group, like with the scholars and that.
9:00
I kind of knew I was maybe get a pro, but then I had a case for some street robberies.
9:06
And whilst I had Southampton, I thought, yeah, I got Southampton.
9:11
I'm on a good track now, good path.
9:13
The judge might kind of...
9:15
letting me get away with what I was doing when I was a minor.
9:18
Fifty years of minor still, wasn't it?
9:20
Even though like, and she was like, no, I'm not having it, you're going to jail.
9:25
I went to jail, when I went there, it was horrid.
9:28
Especially them young jails, everyone's trying to be the bad guy and be,
9:33
yeah, I'm that guy sort of thing.
9:35
So they're trying to, everyone's got, even up to now, men always have their egos, you know what I'm saying?
9:39
But I see 15-year-olds who's done so much wrongdoings and they're all in one place.
9:47
I was all right, I held my own, but I've seen others, it's dark.
9:52
Yeah.
9:52
What was going through your head every day in that prison?
9:56
I think the younger girls are worse than the older girls for some reason.
10:00
Yeah, I think so.
10:01
I think so because everyone's trying to, everyone says this and I feel like I experienced that.
10:07
We've seen certain things that was going on.
10:10
But everyone's just trying to be a bad boy.
10:12
Do you know what I'm saying?
10:13
Fighting, doing, it's just the most stuff.
10:17
So it was just, it was long.
10:19
Did you go and do any of that in jail?
10:21
I was like that.
10:22
Did people try and like antagonize you in there?
10:24
Nothing, you know, not even nothing.
10:26
But I remember I wasn't known like that.
10:27
I wasn't known or anything like that.
10:30
People knew I could play football because I played football in there.
10:32
So they knew I was at Southampton and I had the potential sort of thing.
10:36
And I was saying with an academy, but...
10:39
No, I was cool, man.
10:40
I've got that aura where it's like, don't bother.
10:45
Because I can fight as well.
10:46
So if you're trying to do that, I can scrap as well.
10:48
So it's like, but no one tested me like that, to be honest.
10:51
Did you think at any point while you were in there, football could be over?
10:55
No.
10:56
Never thought that.
10:57
You always believed that you were coming out and...
10:59
I was like, I'm 15.
11:00
Still Southampton are keeping me.
11:02
Yeah, I'm just going to go back out after this stint and then go back to football.
11:08
How long were you in for?
11:10
Three months.
11:11
Did that experience teach you anything at that point?
11:14
Did you feel like you learned a lot while you were in there?
11:16
Yeah, definitely.
11:16
I was like, I can't be, I don't like to be bored.
11:20
I don't like to be controlled.
11:21
I don't like to, this 23 hour bang up is like, it's 23 hours.
11:26
I don't like the food.
11:28
Food's horrid.
11:29
So yeah, I did learn a bit.
11:31
I did learn quite a bit.
11:33
Talk to me about when you came out and your Southampton situation after that.
11:38
So obviously I come out of jail and then they said we're going to keep you.
11:45
And then once that happened, I couldn't go back to the digs where all the players were, the scholars.
11:50
So I was like, I know I'm not going back to the digs and, you know, giving me my own flat.
11:54
I've never heard of this.
11:55
I said, has anyone heard of this?
11:57
I asked some players, they're like, nah.
11:58
So in my mind, I said, I must be getting a professional contract.
12:01
Do you know what I'm saying?
12:02
Because I was on a first year scholar.
12:04
Then I was going to do my second year scholar.
12:06
I was doing my second year scholar in my flat, what they gave to me in my womb.
12:10
And I was like, for them to do all of this...
12:13
I must be a big deal.
12:14
Do you know what I'm saying?
12:15
Keep me when I was in jail.
12:16
And then also, yeah, put my mum, move my mum from London to Southampton.
12:23
My mum felt like, yeah, you wouldn't do that for just anyone.
12:26
You're not really trying to see gold away.
12:29
But then...
12:31
Yeah, gradually I just started acting up again.
12:34
Not crazy like the threat doing dumb things Rob Wilde, just like I took kit, I always say I took some kit, everyone's kit from the first team to everybody's stuff and I pull it in a bag and I tried to go back for this bag and it was gone the next day.
12:52
then I'm going mad at flipping everyone, like most of the players, like, well, you took my bag, you took my bag, because we was allowed to take a few bits before breaking up for the summer.
13:01
But I just took everything.
13:03
Do you know what I'm saying?
13:04
But then, yeah, after that, they kind of said, yeah, we're going to get rid of you.
13:10
And I was like, that's because of that?
13:12
Yeah, because of that.
13:13
And I was like, but that's not as mad as Joe and Dylan.
13:15
They was like, you put you in your own flat, you're still doing little things.
13:19
And I was like,
13:21
This is where I thought, oh, oh shit.
13:24
Basically, is it going to go back to madness now?
13:28
Because I had to sit up there ready for me and all sorts, but then it's like acting again.
13:35
Why did you do that?
13:36
So you stole the kit from the first team.
13:39
Was that, were you looking to sell it?
13:41
Like what was the goal?
13:43
Give to my friends.
13:44
Literally, good to my friends.
13:46
Was that what you were like back then?
13:48
Yeah.
13:48
You were always looking out.
13:49
Always looking out, and I'd just try and be like, hey, take this, take this.
13:52
They loved it, innit?
13:53
And I felt nice at an academy, and from the ends, no one else is in an academy like that, bringing back boots, kit, and that.
14:02
And I just wanted to just... Because what can I really do with kit?
14:06
You know what I'm saying?
14:07
When you say kit, we're talking boots and everything.
14:09
It's not like I've took the whole teat, everyone's Rolexes off, dripping things.
14:14
It's just my teatish kit.
14:16
Do you know what I'm saying?
14:17
So that's why I was like, ooh, did they need to get rid of me for this?
14:20
But they just had enough.
14:22
How did that conversation go down?
14:24
I went to the stadium with my agent and then I can't remember what my manager was.
14:30
Maybe Nigel Pearce.
14:31
I can't remember who it was, but they were just saying, yeah, you can't keep doing this stuff.
14:35
You're a talent, but you keep doing things.
14:39
Like, and you're just not learning.
14:41
Why would you take everyone's kit sort of thing?
14:44
Then they terminated the deal.
14:45
I was devastated.
14:46
And then after that, obviously one door closes and a few opened after that.
14:52
You know what I'm saying?
14:53
Yeah, you're right.
14:54
Newcastle come calling.
14:55
I went to Swindon first.
14:56
Yeah.
14:57
For pre-season.
14:58
And I didn't even get to start the season with them because Newcastle come calling.
15:01
Yeah, you're right.
15:02
Yeah, so I actually, I read something actually on you when you went to Swindon.
15:07
You just kind of ditched them.
15:08
Dropped my kit.
15:09
I'm liking that Swindon at the minute, pre-season.
15:11
I'm liking it.
15:11
Yeah.
15:13
Do I have to stop being here?
15:16
Well, you'd be stupid not to go to Newcastle.
15:19
You'd be dumb.
15:19
You can come back to Swindon if you want to.
15:21
Then I said, I can't tell no one.
15:24
I had to drop my kit, get in my agent's car and just go.
15:27
Yeah, you were only 17 at this point.
15:29
17.
15:30
So you've gone from wondering whether you might even have another football club at all to Swindon one anew, Newcastle one anew.
15:37
Yeah, also Southampton, my agent said we're not going to tell them that Newcastle one anew because they might actually hold like a red street or whatever.
15:48
I need to see that they're... Yeah.
15:50
to do with money and that happens to a lot of players.
15:51
So they said, my agent said, I'll only Swindon won him, it's lower than lower league.
15:57
And they were like, okay, we're deregistering properly.
15:59
And so I was fully off the books.
16:01
Then they just saw Newcastle United and they phoned my agent like,
16:05
I thought you told him I still swing then.
16:07
But he's an agent.
16:09
He knows how to work things, isn't he?
16:10
He's a smart agent.
16:11
I'll never forget his name.
16:12
Nick Rubry, but he's a top guy, man.
16:15
He's just smart.
16:16
Are you still in contact with him?
16:18
Every so often, we'll reach out to each other, definitely.
16:20
But yeah, not as frequent, but yeah, we reach out every so often.
16:24
So take me back then.
16:25
So when Newcastle, you find out Newcastle want you, how did you find out through, is that directly through the agent?
16:32
The agent for me said, yeah, the good game.
16:36
he comes to the game actually, met me in Burger King, he said, Dennis Wise is going to phone you tomorrow.
16:39
And I was like, what?
16:41
What do you mean Dennis Wise is going to phone me tomorrow?
16:44
Anyway, he did end up phone me the next day.
16:46
No, Dennis, I want you to come to Newcastle.
16:50
I'm like, oh, I don't know if I want to do that.
16:53
He's like, what?
16:55
You're mad if you don't come, come to Newcastle and give it a go.
16:57
You're a madman.
16:58
And I'm taking the, I'm taking the choice of it.
17:01
You're going to be there.
17:02
Like, sort of thing.
17:03
I was like,
17:05
You know, I don't know some lads living in the digs with me as soon as I was like, what do you think?
17:08
They were like, oh, go and do that.
17:11
What are you doing?
17:11
What are you thinking about?
17:12
It was there to think about.
17:14
You should be there.
17:14
You should be on your bike there now.
17:16
So I think, but I was there like feeling something.
17:20
I wasn't feeling it, but then I went down to show.
17:23
I was, it wasn't even a child.
17:26
They wanted me straight there, played a game, smashed it.
17:32
from there was just on the up because the moment you get there you're suddenly sharing a dressing room with the likes of Michael Owen Nicky Butt Alan Smith Kevin Nolan what's that like for a young person like yourself at that point no it's mad because I'm seeing Michael the last time I saw Michael Owen was on TV scoring hat-tricks against
17:51
in England and for England and in say for Liverpool and all these things that's the memories I got of Michael Owen Nicky but I knew Nicky but I was at Man United but Owen was something different because he's been in Ballon d'Or he's doing some different stuff so when I'm I didn't get any change in him straight away it took a while but when I trained with them
18:09
I'm like, oh, crap, this is Michael.
18:11
That's Michael Owen over there.
18:14
Then there's Nicky Bart.
18:15
Then there's who else is the likes of.
18:18
There was a few, like James Milner.
18:20
I'm looking at James Milner.
18:24
Then there was, he's the manager of Paris.
18:29
Oh, Marseille now.
18:31
That's right.
18:32
I see.
18:33
He's a manager of Marseille.
18:34
He was... Is he...
18:37
He was funny, though.
18:38
He's a good guy.
18:40
I forgot his name, man.
18:43
Marseille Knight.
18:44
Maybe now.
18:45
You want to let Joey Barton?
18:47
No, I'm sorry.
18:48
No, Joey.
18:48
I know you had a little spell there, but... Bay.
18:53
Is his name Bay?
18:54
Bay something.
18:55
Bay, I think it was.
18:57
He's starting to do... What team was...
19:00
Mason, do you know that?
19:02
Marseille.
19:03
Marseille, yeah.
19:03
So it was Marseille.
19:05
His name's Bay.
19:06
B-E-Y-E. French guy.
19:08
He's something to do with Marseille, I think.
19:11
No.
19:12
But it was him.
19:14
Alan Smith.
19:15
Alan Smith.
19:15
Remember, Alan Smith is another one.
19:17
He used to have the blonde hair for Leeds.
19:19
Yeah, Leeds.
19:19
That's what I remember as well, like these moments.
19:22
He was the main man at Leeds.
19:23
So he was there.
19:24
I'm just around these guys.
19:25
I'm like...
19:27
Wow, Steve Harper, Steve Harper, Goldkeeper, Shea, Shea, Shea Given, Shea Given, Shea Given, Irish legend, Shea if you've ever watched, Irish legend, he's the always, look out for me, Mark Viduka, what a man, you know what I'm saying, um.
19:45
There's a few.
19:46
Yeah.
19:46
You mentioned Shea looked out for you.
19:48
Was there anyone that kind of took you under their wing?
19:50
Obviously, a 17-year-old coming into this team.
19:52
I'll say, Seb, you see, Sebastian Basant.
19:55
Seb, he was like, because he's from Paris.
19:59
He's probably come from an end like mine, like a hood like mine.
20:02
Do you know what I'm saying?
20:03
So he saw the roar.
20:04
He was like, you know what?
20:06
I like this guy.
20:07
I put his arm around me.
20:08
So, but then he left early Jose Enrique Liverpool.
20:11
He's a top man.
20:12
You see him some funny.
20:14
He was a top man.
20:15
He liked to help youngsters and look out for the youngsters.
20:18
You know what I'm saying?
20:19
He's another guy I have much respect for as well.
20:22
There's a few, man.
20:23
When you, when you first joined, how did you think they were going to take to you?
20:27
Obviously knowing Nile Ranger and some of the, some of the stories they probably even read at that point.
20:32
Hmm.
20:33
How did you think they were going to take to you when you joined?
20:35
I don't think they knew too much.
20:37
They just heard a little bit.
20:38
I've been in jail.
20:39
Went from London.
20:40
Go to, like, go to, looks a bit, a bit road.
20:44
Do you know what I'm saying?
20:45
But I didn't think they would know too much because I wasn't scoring Premier League goals or doing anything.
20:49
I just heard this raw talent is going to be training with us.
20:54
So they took to me well, to be fair.
20:56
They'll make a little joke here and there, like, just football banded, right?
20:59
Yeah, I mean, you had the ability, the opportunity, and you're obviously playing for a massive football club at this point.
21:07
Were you actually doing everything you possibly could to become a big player for them?
21:14
I felt like I was just being me, being myself.
21:17
Obviously, I always say it.
21:20
When I was living in Diggs in Newcastle, there was a guy called Glenn.
21:24
He was kind of strict.
21:26
I hated that because I don't like the strict stuff.
21:28
But he'd make us sit around the table, eat together.
21:34
But the food, it wasn't...
21:37
Edible, I don't think, some of the plates he's to put out for me first.
21:40
So I was like, I can't even, this is madness.
21:44
But, still tried to soldier food, then he would say, I'll bed at 10.
21:48
Then he would do checking, like, if we're sleeping or not, and I'd be like, hey, yo, I can't take this stuff, like, but, that was the best I ever played.
21:56
I swear to you, that was like, I was slapping goals in for, for my team, for the, reserves, for the under-18s, it was on fire.
22:05
But,
22:07
I still didn't want to be under that, uh, what's the word, that type of structure.
22:12
I wanted to be more free.
22:14
But once I got free, then I got into my own flat and my own place.
22:19
I was still doing well, but I feel like if I had, had Glenn's, um, structure could be, I don't know, man, maybe that food was good.
22:30
I don't know.
22:30
I don't know what it was, but I was on fire on the, but it's different levels, so different
22:37
playing men's football and under-18s and that is totally different.
22:40
You know what I'm saying?
22:42
You didn't really have much of a spell there though, did you?
22:44
Because you got fast-tracked so quickly.
22:46
So quickly.
22:47
Like one minute I'm with the under-18s next minute I'm on Arsenal's bench and I'm like at the Emirates Arsenal versus Newcastle and I'm like what am I doing?
22:56
I said to myself what am I doing here so much times?
22:59
And I was like, no, I kept saying, no, you deserve this.
23:01
You've been doing well with the under-80s, you deserve this.
23:04
And I'm walking through the Emirates, I'm like, no.
23:06
But my headphones are like, no, what am I doing here?
23:09
Do you know what I'm saying?
23:10
Team you supported growing up, team I supported growing up.
23:13
So it was just like...
23:14
It was a different feeling.
23:16
It's hard to explain.
23:17
It was mad.
23:18
But I was just, as soon as I come, like the game was done, straight to my phone to see you, like, you know, I was in.
23:24
One of them once.
23:25
But it was amazing.
23:26
Amazing experience.
23:27
Did you ever feel like you took the Premier League for granted?
23:30
Yeah.
23:31
You know, I never.
23:33
I always tried my all.
23:35
When I actually started getting appearances, I always was like, you know what?
23:40
I'm going to give him my all every time.
23:41
Because I get five minutes, two minutes.
23:42
I was the most used sub at my age.
23:44
I don't think anyone's passed that yet.
23:46
But, so I take that.
23:47
I hold that high.
23:49
You know, I hold that high.
23:49
Yeah.
23:51
Um, but that's what I was told.
23:54
I was the most used sub at 19 cause I'd play for seven minutes, 60, six minutes, 15 minutes, 45 minutes, 30 minutes to it.
24:01
I'll always come on and cause have a trust me that, but, um,
24:07
Yeah, it was fun, man.
24:08
It was good.
24:09
When you look back at the player you were then, what frustrates you most?
24:12
Because ability clearly wasn't an issue for you.
24:15
Yeah, I'd say it was discipline, timekeeping.
24:20
There were a lot of things that were... Like I say, I don't know if it's...
24:26
I am in diagonal ADHD or dyslexia.
24:28
I don't know what it is, but I would have to itinerary and we'll be reading through it, but it's like, I'd have to read through this thing so much time to actually understand it.
24:37
Do you know what I'm saying?
24:38
Get here this time, get here.
24:39
You got confused and it was just like...
24:42
And then I'll be late sometimes to the walk, when they'll do a walk and all things like this.
24:46
Or late to food, like, I found it hard.
24:49
So I got one of the players, one of the players I was close to when he was in the squad, I said, listen, phone me.
24:56
Like, my phone will be allowed because I might have a nap, whatever.
24:59
Like, I might have a nap.
25:00
So, phone me whenever we'd have to go, like, half an hour, 20 minutes before.
25:05
So I'm just, like, up and I'll just wait.
25:07
So we have to go because, like, this paper...
25:10
I'm not, I can read, but it's like, I don't stick to it.
25:14
So it's hard to explain.
25:17
I don't know how to explain it to you.
25:19
So that's how I was feeling.
25:20
Late for training, things like that.
25:22
Yeah, I was late.
25:23
Did they ever find you or anything?
25:25
All the time.
25:25
And they got to a stage where one of the gaff managers was like, do you not like your money?
25:29
And I was like, who's I do?
25:31
And they was like, well, you're playing for money sort of thing.
25:33
You need to get in on time.
25:35
I'm going to keep finding you.
25:36
You're going to have nothing.
25:37
And I was like, yeah, I know.
25:39
With me, I'd stay up late playing game, then I'd sleep, then I'd snooze my alarm like 15 times.
25:46
Yeah, it was dark.
25:48
Yeah, because... And I lived around the corner from the training ground.
25:51
I was going to say, how long did it take you to get there?
25:53
I lived like eight minutes away from the training ground.
25:55
And you were still late?
25:56
Still late.
25:58
Still late.
25:58
It was shocking.
26:00
At the same time, at this point, you're representing England in the 19th.
26:04
Yeah, yeah.
26:05
And you play with some unreal players.
26:07
Let me just run through some of the names.
26:09
You've got Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Danny Rose, Danny Welbeck, Victor Moses...
26:14
I could go all the absolute ballers.
26:16
Did you believe at this point you could actually make it to the senior England team?
26:21
When I got there and I knew, because I knew of a lot of these players and where they was in their team at the time, I was like, right, this guy's playing first team, this guy's in the first team all the time.
26:31
I'm around serious hitters right now, do you know what I'm saying?
26:34
And especially when I started having my good spell of England smacking goals in, I was like, whoa, wait, I can do this, do you know what I'm saying?
26:41
I'm smacking goals in.
26:42
I had a great tournament, I can't remember where it was.
26:44
I can't remember where it was.
26:45
I can't remember where it was.
26:46
And I scored, like, in every game.
26:49
Do you know what I'm saying?
26:50
Mauricio was mad for England.
26:51
And I was like, whoa, I can do this.
26:53
Went back, come back from that tournament.
26:55
Like, yeah, I was flying in that tournament.
26:57
Got called up again.
26:58
Like, if I just behaved, I would have been in all the setups.
27:01
Because they kind of set you in from early, under-18s and under-19s.
27:05
But I got in late.
27:06
Some start from young.
27:08
I feel like under-19s is kind of a bit late, it's a little bit, because it goes under-21s, then after under-21s, it's the first team, do you know what I'm saying?
27:16
But, yeah, I was doing good for under-19s, I'll be honest.
27:20
Yeah, did you get on with everyone in that?
27:22
Everyone.
27:23
I'm a guy where people think, they say in the articles that they are, he's a monster, but I'd get on with everyone, like, everyone was cool, do you know what I'm saying?
27:30
We were all going...
27:31
Did they have their own little groups?
27:33
Because this is something we've seen over the years for England.
27:36
And, you know, you go back to the senior team and they said a lot that there were certain groups, they were sticking with their team.
27:42
Did it feel like that at the unders level?
27:44
I feel like everyone has their groups so they're closer.
27:47
But everyone actually got on.
27:48
We all got on.
27:49
But it's like...
27:51
everyone has their little boots that they're closer with sort of thing do you know what I'm saying or even like here your room doing whatever whatnot that is it's one of them things you probably get a closer bond sort of thing with them and who were your boys at that time I think I got on with everyone Welbs Briggsie Matthew Briggs Henry Lansbury um
28:15
Who else was there?
28:15
I can name a few.
28:16
Gavin Hoyt was there.
28:18
It's Gavin.
28:19
I think it's Gavin Hoyt.
28:20
Hoyt.
28:20
Yeah.
28:21
Was there.
28:24
All of them, man.
28:25
We all just got on that.
28:26
Do you know what I'm saying?
28:27
It was just like, there was no one.
28:29
We all just vibes together.
28:31
It was a good group.
28:32
Jacob Millis.
28:34
Jacob Millis, yeah.
28:34
Jacob Millis.
28:36
There's a few, man.
28:37
Yeah.
28:37
A few.
28:38
And do you think they all feel the same way?
28:41
Yeah, no, they're all cool.
28:43
They all hate me, man.
28:44
100%.
28:44
They all hate me, man.
28:45
Definitely.
28:46
2009-2010.
28:48
Newcastle win the championship and go straight back into the Premier League.
28:51
You're still only 18 years old at this point.
28:54
What's the dressing room like at this stage?
28:56
Well, I remember it was Shearer and Ian Dowey were coming.
29:00
And then, obviously, they tried to save us from relegation.
29:04
Didn't happen.
29:05
Then they said, we've gone championship.
29:09
And I'm like, cool, we're in championship now.
29:11
I'm definitely going to get more of a sniff in this team right now.
29:15
And that was what happened.
29:15
Went pre-season, done well.
29:18
And I was just in the team, like, I was getting starts all the time now, starting, um, coming off the bench earlier, but I was mainly starting quite a few games, you know, with Newcastle.
29:28
And then that's when I got into my groove as well, do you know what I'm saying?
29:31
Championship.
29:33
Um...
29:34
playing for Newcastle.
29:36
That's when I moved to the first team changing rooms.
29:39
Actually, did I move to the first team?
29:40
I think that was... Maybe that was the season.
29:43
Or maybe Prem season.
29:45
No.
29:46
I established myself properly championship, then we went straight back up.
29:49
That's when I moved to the...
29:51
First team changing.
29:52
And the manager at this point, Chris Houghton.
29:54
Was Chris Houghton.
29:55
How important was he to you?
29:56
So important throughout my career.
29:58
So important.
29:59
And obviously it was things like, he used to always sit down with me and take his time away and just say, look, you need to focus.
30:06
You need to make your friends go back to London.
30:08
You need to focus, like this is your career.
30:11
Stop causing trouble in the town.
30:14
That's, he used to always take his time out and hold me aside and say,
30:18
How's things?
30:19
How's your family?
30:19
Do you know what I'm saying?
30:20
I appreciate Chris here.
30:22
When you say make your friends go back to London, were they living with you?
30:27
So basically, it felt like Hangover.
30:30
Do you know that film?
30:31
Yeah, it felt like Hangover.
30:32
So I always said that I always used to make my friends come up and we used to just...
30:36
I used to wake up after being drunk and out.
30:39
Drunk, like, where's my phone?
30:41
Where's this?
30:41
Where's my car?
30:42
It was that mad.
30:44
And we used to cause...
30:46
trouble a little bit.
30:47
Not me so much, but if I'm with them and they've caused a bit of, maybe someone's done something and the London comes out of them, they might smack someone or do something.
30:57
But everyone knows who I am, so...
30:59
They won't know who they are.
31:00
They'll be like, listen, Niles, Niles friends, Nile this, Nile that.
31:04
And then that's what he's kind of said to me that I know you're not the one kind of, but it's your friend.
31:08
So it is you.
31:09
So tell them go home.
31:11
And I'll be like, oh, can't really do that just because it's like, if they go, then I'm bored up there, then I might, I just want to have a mini London in Newcastle so I don't get homesick.
31:24
And he was like, nah, it's not working for you.
31:25
You need to tell them to go.
31:28
Made my mum come into a meeting up there.
31:30
Like, everywhere my mum's been in a meeting everywhere.
31:32
Like, literally.
31:33
From school to throughout every single club.
31:35
Like, it's just been mayhem.
31:38
Did that ever do anything?
31:40
No.
31:41
What is that?
31:41
No.
31:42
Just didn't.
31:43
Maybe for a little bit, then it would just...
31:46
I would just go mad again.
31:49
Did your mum try and stop you from doing these things?
31:51
No.
31:53
Yeah, she would definitely try, but there's only so much you can do.
31:56
Like, what did you say?
31:56
You could take a toast to the water, but they can't make them drink it.
32:00
What's the saying?
32:00
Something like that.
32:01
She tried her best.
32:03
I was just a bit of a loose cannon.
32:05
Going back to Chris Hewton, when he's telling you to send your London mates back home.
32:11
I said, no.
32:12
Did it happen?
32:13
I said, no.
32:14
If they go, I go.
32:15
Just remember that.
32:16
It was yesterday.
32:18
I said, if they go, I'm going.
32:20
And I knew I was hot properly and I knew that the chairman wanted to sign, give me new contracts.
32:25
I knew all of this.
32:26
So I was like, no, if they go, I'm going to go.
32:29
So he was like, you're so silly telling me that.
32:32
But I said, at least I'm being honest.
32:35
I'd rather just say it black and white.
32:38
I'm not trying to do no pretending.
32:40
If they go, which it makes me feel a bit home up here, then I'm going to go.
32:44
And you actually felt that?
32:46
Yeah, a little bit.
32:47
Because I didn't really have known up there in Newcastle like that Until I started going out there meeting people, meeting friends And then got a missus Then that's when they kind of went back Because I can't be there with all my boys and then my missus with me I just didn't Where's the time for your missus sort of thing Why is everyone here?
33:07
Yeah, yeah Who were the leaders in the dressing room at Newcastle at that time?
33:11
There's been a few change rooms I've been there Because it got mixed all the time But leaders I'll say
33:19
There's a proper leader.
33:22
We're talking when we come back up from the championship, back into the Prem.
33:25
We're in the championship.
33:26
Yeah.
33:27
Or Prem now, or championship.
33:28
So, out of the championship, back into the Prem.
33:31
That's like Colaccini.
33:32
He had a lot, like, I'll say, um...
33:36
I say Coluccini is the captain of him, even though he didn't speak the language, but he's quite good with English, but he had a presence.
33:48
Joey Barton was quite vocal.
33:50
He's kind of a leader.
33:53
some things he'd say was good, some things he would just say was...
33:57
Some people could take it, some people couldn't take it.
34:00
I got on with Joey, so it was alright, do you know what I'm saying?
34:02
I could...
34:03
He would get on to me every so often, but I could take it.
34:05
Do you know what I'm saying?
34:07
You've got to know the ones that can take it.
34:08
Some people crumble and they couldn't take it.
34:10
Alex Smith was kind of a leader as well.
34:12
He's vocal.
34:15
Nicky Butt, the championship... Yeah, he was very vocal.
34:19
Who else?
34:20
Yeah.
34:22
Did any of them come to you?
34:23
Do you know who was very vocal?
34:24
Um, I think he, I don't think it was their championship.
34:28
Um, what's his name again, man?
34:32
Duff.
34:33
Duff.
34:33
Damien Duff.
34:35
What?
34:35
Irish winger.
34:36
What a baller.
34:37
Oh my gosh.
34:38
Really?
34:39
He was fake.
34:40
He was fake.
34:41
He was a player.
34:43
Him.
34:44
He had a lot to say.
34:45
Mm.
34:46
Tannels a spinker.
34:47
He had a lot to say.
34:52
Yeah, but championship Did any of those players you just mentioned Come to you at any point and be like All of them would say it, all of them But I just didn't listen All of them would be like What have you been up to?
35:05
Why have you done it?
35:07
What was your answer to them?
35:08
I'd be like, I know, I know, man, I know.
35:10
Like, you know, like, I know, I know, I'm going to try, I'm going to try.
35:15
But at the end, I'm not really trying as good as I should.
35:21
But you live and you learn, man.
35:23
You know what I'm saying?
35:24
Yeah, of course.
35:25
And St. James' Park is obviously, you know, a very unique place to play football.
35:30
What does it feel like as a player?
35:32
You're a professional footballer walking out of St. James' Park.
35:36
What's going through your head?
35:38
It meant tearing the fans.
35:40
The fans are so... Those are one of the best fans.
35:44
Do you know what I'm saying?
35:45
When they were on my side anyway.
35:48
They were serious, serious fans.
35:51
Could you feel that expectation from supporters?
35:54
Yeah, the atmosphere.
35:55
They're all polite as well, the Jodies, you know?
35:57
They're all polite.
35:58
until you get on their nerves and then they'll turn on you but when you're the when you're everything's going sweet it's sweet up there and the atmosphere is crazy 50 000 that is immense immense and it's like you said when when they're on your side it's very good very good when they're not on your side yeah it can be it can be dark
36:19
Did the fans give you any trouble?
36:21
I know you spent, you know, you went out a lot.
36:24
Did you get any trouble out?
36:26
They loved me quite a bit until I started acting a fool, getting cases, getting the paper all the time.
36:32
Then it started getting a bit...
36:35
Yeah, they started getting, you know, them dumb, some fans are just stupid.
36:40
They try to test you a little bit.
36:42
Got a bit of that.
36:43
But that's why when I used to go out with my friends and they used to see that happen or someone might try a thing and they're not going to watch me get into nothing.
36:51
So that's when the rumble used to happen.
36:54
I'd get in trouble, sort of thing.
36:56
Did you think it was important for you to have your mates for those situations?
36:59
Definitely.
37:00
But I didn't want that to happen.
37:02
I wanted to have a smooth night.
37:03
But you've got to be ready, innit?
37:05
Because anything can happen.
37:07
Yeah, you're still incredibly young through all of this.
37:10
Yeah, you know.
37:11
Suddenly there's money, you've got attention, you're in the Premier League and people knowing who you are.
37:16
Yeah.
37:16
How did your life change when that started to come into it?
37:20
Yeah, I started getting cars that obviously the female attention.
37:26
Yeah, I just started buying things like cars.
37:31
this, that, gadgets, like, do you know what I'm saying?
37:33
Just spending money all the time, gambling, going casinos, seeing players go casino, and I think, yeah, I can follow them, doing casino, just doing all sorts of stuff.
37:44
Did you feel like you were ready for a contract?
37:48
Of that size.
37:50
Yeah.
37:51
The money is good.
37:54
My last five years, there was 10 grand a week.
37:56
So that was like, okay, so now I want this.
38:00
And then it's like...
38:03
Yeah, maybe it was too fast for me at that age.
38:06
I was thinking maybe it was, but I could have got so much more if I just focused way more.
38:11
Do you know what I'm saying?
38:12
But I was just in a fast lane.
38:15
I was young, gassed.
38:18
I know I'm the man in that sort of thing.
38:20
I know I'm that guy sort of thing.
38:22
Like even before Football Money, I feel like I've always had that like, I know I'm that guy, like that.
38:29
Or I don't know how to explain it.
38:30
Ali?
38:31
Yeah, but confidence.
38:32
That's the one, confidence.
38:33
I always had that confidence.
38:35
I've always been a confident guy.
38:36
Do you know what I'm saying?
38:38
But I feel like when the money come into play and everyone knows the used man playing football and I'm doing well, I say, did he get to me?
38:48
And I tried to say, no, I don't think he did, but he actually probably did.
38:51
I'd like to say, no, I dig it.
38:53
Well, it did, man.
38:54
Definitely.
38:55
All of that in the fast lane, so young, big money, decent money.
39:01
Yeah, it was, it was too fast.
39:04
Did, did the people around you change?
39:08
Yeah, I wouldn't say so, but I feel like
39:12
Nah, they didn't, man.
39:14
I feel like people try to tell me, yo, my cousin sat me down one time, looked at my pay sleeping, he's like, hey, you've made it, you know.
39:21
I was like, no, I haven't.
39:22
He's like, bro, you're getting this each month.
39:25
You need to lock in right now.
39:26
Because he's... Do you know what I'm saying?
39:30
Because we used to do robberies to get all these things.
39:31
And he's like, he's looked at me and my car decided to me and he's like, yo, fam, just take a minute.
39:38
Take a minute right now.
39:39
You actually...
39:41
you're doing proper, you know, look at your pay slip.
39:44
And I'm like, like, I just like, rah, and that's exactly what I did tell him.
39:50
I was like, rah, I didn't want to say I know, like, but it was like, when he hit me, you saying that, he kind of hit me after when he left me, or whatever, like, I thought about that.
40:01
He's right, you know, I'm in a good position right now to go further, but didn't lock in properly.
40:09
Was it difficult for you, like actually knowing who wanted what's best for you?
40:15
Um, no, because I just go back to who I was around from the jump, like who was around when there was no, there was no Nourring in Newcastle or this getting this one.
40:28
So I go back to that.
40:30
But because my heart's big, I'd let others in, like, but I would know the real ones, what I was there from the jump.
40:34
I'd just go back to that.
40:36
That makes sense.
40:37
Yeah, yeah.
40:38
Well, you mentioned your cousin a few times.
40:41
What was your relationship like with him?
40:43
Was he someone that was part of this as well?
40:46
What, as in?
40:47
The trouble?
40:48
Yeah, he was involved in the trouble.
40:50
Like, we used to do these things together, that sort of thing.
40:52
But he's genuine.
40:53
He wanted me to get out of the area and do football, like, and focus.
40:57
So when I got there, it was like...
40:59
Because he'd come to live with me for a bit in Newcastle for a while.
41:03
And then he just ended up saying, listen, I've been here a while now.
41:06
You've got a missus.
41:07
Like, I want to go back.
41:08
And when you come down London, I'll just come up here every so often.
41:13
Like that.
41:14
But he was always on to, like, there would be times where I'd have friends up.
41:20
And then I always sit queuing up behind Nando's in the queue.
41:24
And he would be like, hey, you lot stopped queuing behind my cousin.
41:27
Like...
41:29
pay for your own stuff, that sort of thing.
41:30
He was like, protective a bit, innit?
41:32
Yeah.
41:32
Like people, but I was like, hey, stop doing it, don't do that.
41:36
I want people to, I've got this, it's Nando's, like I've got, do you know what I'm saying?
41:40
I want people to feel when they come up here, I've got them, sort of thing.
41:44
Yeah.
41:44
You know what I'm saying?
41:45
But he didn't, he doesn't like that because he's from the, he's just like, nah, I'm not on that.
41:49
Do you know what I'm saying?
41:50
But people used to say, ah, like, cheaper are going to be leeching and
41:57
Too tough.
41:57
I didn't see that.
41:58
Oh, he already asked me for nothing.
42:00
Do you know what I'm saying?
42:02
But then he was like, nah, my cousin would be like, nah, I see, I see, you can't see, I can see, I can see these things.
42:07
So I want you to just see.
42:10
And I was like, nah, it's not like that.
42:11
And it's a Nando's.
42:12
I got this.
42:12
Do you know what I'm saying?
42:15
When people come up, they'll be in my house.
42:16
You can sleep there, bro.
42:17
You don't need to get a hotel.
42:18
Yeah.
42:19
Do you know what I'm saying?
42:20
One of them guys, I want people to come up, see me and have fun.
42:23
Then
42:27
Do you know what I'm saying?
42:28
Yeah.
42:29
So he always had your back then and it seems like he didn't want people taking advantage of you.
42:33
Yeah, of course not.
42:34
But I was clued up anyway.
42:35
But at the same time I might just slip for a little bit.
42:38
But I was always clued up.
42:39
I'm always clued up.
42:40
Even up to now I'm just always clued up.
42:42
But...
42:43
I ain't on Newcastle money right now and I ain't on, do you know what I'm saying?
42:46
Things are different, but there's still motion, but it's just that things are different.
42:50
But it's an eye-opener.
42:54
So after football, I'll probably get into football agency, maybe.
42:56
Okay.
42:57
I've got plans in my head, do you know what I'm saying?
42:59
Do little things.
43:00
There's always going to be motion no matter what.
43:02
Yeah, of course.
43:03
And well, you've obviously got the experience.
43:04
You know, the path to take.
43:06
Yeah.
43:07
Going back to...
43:09
What that period was like.
43:11
So you've been given a contract.
43:12
£10,000 a week.
43:13
You're obviously on huge money.
43:15
What was going on away from football during this period?
43:18
As in?
43:19
As in your life outside of football.
43:22
I'm up in Newcastle.
43:23
Obviously I'm going raving all the time.
43:25
Always out.
43:28
Um...
43:30
doing a bit of gambling in the casinos, quite a bit to the Newcastle, banned me from all casinos.
43:36
And I had to have a meeting with Derek Lombayas, and I think it was someone else, I can't remember, they was like, listen, we own casinos and shit.
43:43
Like, we see you keep going there, doing your wages, like, it's dumb, you're banned from everything, going on.
43:47
Even up to now, I've tried to go for, my friend had a party, and he, there was a casino in London, and he, I think he was having drinks there, and just having a little starter.
43:57
like a starter up in there and then go somewhere else.
44:01
And they, I put my ID and there was like, yeah, your band, you got an email this, even up to now sort of thing.
44:06
So I was like, right.
44:08
They probably put a light and it helps.
44:10
It helps in it.
44:11
Do you know what I'm saying?
44:12
Cause I've got addictive personality where I'll just keep going.
44:14
Like, do you know what I'm saying?
44:15
So that did help.
44:16
What was it about the casino?
44:17
Is it made you want to go there?
44:18
I think I see.
44:21
I think I see Jeremy.
44:22
You know Jeremy?
44:23
Jeremy.
44:24
Played for Newcastle, around Madrid.
44:26
Oh, the right back.
44:27
I think he was the right back.
44:28
Yeah, he played for Chelsea as well.
44:29
Chelsea.
44:30
So I see him with a Genting's Casino pack.
44:34
And everyone used to say, this guy's always at the casino making jokes.
44:37
But he was on big money.
44:39
Like maybe 50 grand, 50 a week.
44:41
Do you know what I'm saying?
44:43
And I'd see that and I'd be like...
44:45
Maybe I'm going to try.
44:46
Have a little go.
44:48
Then from there, having a little go, turn to dinner.
44:51
And then my mum was like, you've done this amount in the space of...
44:54
I think she said like...
44:55
I don't know, she said 20k.
44:57
I can't remember the sum.
44:59
30.
44:59
I think it might have been 30 something.
45:01
30,000 pounds.
45:02
And I was like, what?
45:03
In the space of like two years?
45:05
She was like, no, three months.
45:06
And I was like, oh shit.
45:08
That actually hit me like a...
45:10
I got back in my car.
45:11
There was like a place called The Gate.
45:14
Back in my car and I was like, this ain't good.
45:19
Then I think Tony Adams was doing something with sporting charts or something to do with gambling and all these things, so I had to speak with them.
45:28
Kind of got bad to hear.
45:31
But you live and you learn, innit, sort of thing.
45:34
Then she started putting extra security control on my money because I was just loose.
45:40
Did it stop you?
45:43
Every so, like I would just go every so often that I would do it cheeky one here and there.
45:48
Might go to a bookie and just go into the machine like every so often.
45:52
But it did because I can't go casino no more when they put a ban on me.
45:57
The reason why I ask is when you hear of gamblers, a lot of the time they'll find a way.
46:02
Yeah, and that was a way I found because I was going to the bookies.
46:05
Do you know what I'm saying?
46:07
And yeah, that weren't good as well at times.
46:10
Looking back now then, so what do you think you needed at that age?
46:13
I would say to switch on.
46:16
Everyone tried to speak to me, everything.
46:19
When I say I had no guidance, some people tried to guide me, you know, but there was no one who just forced me in the headlock.
46:27
Maybe I needed someone to force me in the head.
46:29
Like, hey, listen.
46:30
Don't, you're not going nowhere, bro.
46:32
This is what's happening.
46:33
But I didn't get that.
46:34
I was just like, I can do this and be all right.
46:39
You know what I'm saying?
46:40
Who tried the hardest?
46:42
One of my cousins, that cousin, he tried.
46:45
So many people tried, but it's like, if you're not going to listen, then you're going to learn the hard way.
46:51
You know what I'm saying?
46:51
It was one of them ones.
46:53
Do you know why...
46:55
When you think about it, is there a reason why you couldn't hear it at the time?
46:59
Now you're looking back.
47:01
Maybe because I knew I had a long contract.
47:03
Maybe, I don't know.
47:05
I knew that I'm gifted talent-wise.
47:07
I'm like, no, I'm going to be doing this for a long time.
47:10
I'll be all right.
47:11
You know what I'm saying?
47:13
You just think, yeah, I'm the man sort of thing.
47:16
But it can go so quick.
47:18
Well, I mean, I was 19, playing in the Prem.
47:22
Now 35, playing at Whiteleaf, step three, do you know what I'm saying?
47:25
It just goes quick.
47:26
But then people can do it because look at Welbeck, who was in the same England team.
47:30
He signed for Chelsea the other day, scoring for Chelsea.
47:33
So it can happen.
47:34
But it's just, I think, I tarnish my name because I still think I can play at mad levels.
47:42
But because I tarnish myself with the off-field behaviour, teams are like, no way can he walk through that build it, this build it.
47:50
That goes though.
47:51
Do you think that's the same in life?
47:52
Like people see you in a, in a different way because of your past, I feel like.
47:57
I believe in God, so I feel like everything, even though I didn't help myself, I feel like everything happens for a reason.
48:02
There's the different paths.
48:04
Football's not the only thing, there's just different paths.
48:06
Can mentor, be a mentor for kids sort of thing, help them out.
48:10
There's so much things.
48:11
I've gone into a few schools.
48:12
Feels good doing that as well, do you know what I'm saying?
48:14
Good, good.
48:15
And at Newcastle, you ended up on loan to Sheffield Wednesday, a short-term loan, right?
48:22
Yeah.
48:23
That was your second promotion.
48:25
You scored on the final day of the promotion.
48:29
How good did that feel?
48:30
Oh, that felt good.
48:32
I even celebrated.
48:33
I'm a changed man.
48:33
I'm going to be a changed man.
48:36
You know, Gary Medina is my strike partner.
48:38
We've got a fight coming up soon, innit?
48:40
But obviously, he's one of the fighters as well.
48:41
But in the group chat, he said, he basically quotated that picture saying, oh, you're going to be a change, man.
48:49
And he said, I think your flipping behavior got worse.
48:52
I was like, bro, probably did.
48:54
But that was a good day, man.
48:56
McKell Antonio was in the team.
48:59
There's a few good players in that team that season.
49:02
And Sheffield United was close to getting promotion.
49:05
Don't know if they did that season.
49:07
But we definitely did.
49:08
But that scoring, that goal in that game, felt good.
49:11
I had a feeling I was going to score, you know.
49:13
Did you?
49:14
I had a feeling I was going to score.
49:16
Just sat and was just that day.
49:17
I said, I'm going to score today.
49:19
I just held it and kept it in and ended up scoring head off.
49:22
It brought a real famous moment where, like you said, you go up to the camera and you show off your famous lip tattoo.
49:28
Of course, of course, yeah, I did that as well.
49:30
Talk to me about the lip tattoo.
49:32
What's the reason behind that?
49:33
How did it happen?
49:34
I just, I feel like every weekend I'll come back to London more time and then I'll just be like,
49:39
I'm going to get a tattoo.
49:40
There's a guy called Lau Hardy.
49:41
He's a good tattoo artist.
49:43
And I was like, yeah, this weekend I just want this.
49:46
I'd look in the book and be like, you know, I want this.
49:48
I want this.
49:48
I just went through a phase where I was just getting tattoos, tattoos, tattoos every weekend.
49:53
Then I think someone, I think Leon Best was getting a tattoo at Fitz Hall, I think, or Danny Simpson, maybe one of them.
50:00
We went there and I was just that I wasn't getting a tattoo.
50:02
We went on the night out.
50:04
Then we went to the tattoo place the next day.
50:07
Then I was like, you know what?
50:08
I'm bored.
50:10
Looked in the tattoo, mate.
50:11
I was like, you know what?
50:12
Give me a smiley face in my lip.
50:14
Done it.
50:16
And yeah, that was probably my least pain.
50:18
I would have.
50:19
Least pain?
50:20
Yeah.
50:21
Least pain of every single one I got.
50:23
Didn't feel nothing.
50:24
I was like, well, so that's it.
50:26
It's going to stay.
50:26
And he's like, you might have to go over it once or twice more.
50:29
Then did that and it just stayed.
50:30
I was like, wait, I think I went over it one more time and it just stayed.
50:34
Yeah.
50:36
No pain.
50:36
I didn't feel no pain.
50:37
It just came from boredom.
50:39
Boredom.
50:40
I was sitting there, everyone was getting the tattoos done and I was like, I still get something today.
50:49
Give me a smiley face on my lip.
50:51
A smiley face on my lip.
50:54
See, to me, that's bizarre, right?
50:55
How does that even go through your head to have a tattoo under?
50:58
Because I'm dealing on the hair now.
51:00
I might as well get something.
51:01
I was like, I want it to be different.
51:02
I just don't want the hair.
51:03
What can I get?
51:04
I said...
51:05
I said no one had a title in a nick before.
51:07
He was like, yeah, but it doesn't stay in too tough.
51:09
You have to go over it a few times.
51:11
I was like, yeah, I'm going to do that.
51:13
You're here in madness.
51:14
I'm a madman.
51:15
I'm a madman.
51:17
So eventually your time at Newcastle comes to an end in 2013.
51:21
How did you feel when you were told that was over for you?
51:26
I felt a bit sad actually, a little bit.
51:28
I was like, I felt it crumbling.
51:30
I felt it like it's coming to an end.
51:32
But I had a good spell at Newcastle, so I felt like, you know, as much as there's been some wrongdoings, had so much fun here, had a blast here, played well for Newcastle at times, so I can leave with my head held tight, you know what I'm saying?
51:49
ended up leaving because I had a case.
51:51
A girl said the great thing.
51:54
And I was like, oh, this is mad.
51:55
And once they, I was on bail for that.
51:57
I think that's when they said, listen, we're going to give you, we're going to give you the choice to stay or take this money we're giving you.
52:07
But if you're late again, we can terminate your deal.
52:10
I spoke to the guy and PFA like, what should I do?
52:12
He's like, do you think you're going to be late again?
52:14
I was like.
52:17
So I think maybe he's like, take the money.
52:19
I just took the money.
52:21
Wow.
52:21
Because if I was late again, five years, and I was only one year into the five-year deal.
52:26
So I had four years left.
52:27
And I was like, take the money.
52:30
Or if you're late again, terminate your deal and you don't get nothing.
52:33
And that from them, smart move from them.
52:36
Because it's like, we're kind of trying to push you out the door, but we're still going to be able to show a bit of loyalty.
52:42
Because you could turn it around and be on time.
52:45
and be good as gold, and be scoring hat-tricks for Newcastle.
52:48
Dennis, it's in our favour, we want you here again, you know what I'm saying?
52:51
So, you've got a chance to do that, because you've been with us for so long.
52:54
So, we're not just going to throw you to look at light, we're going to give you the chance, here's money, mutual consent, or, you late one more time, you can terminate your deal.
53:04
I said,
53:06
Yeah, I might have said, just grab the money just in case or not.
53:09
I'm like, and they meant any late, any late.
53:12
Even if I was, I don't think they'll go as harsh as if I was late to a meeting that by two minutes or something, but well, maybe they did mean that.
53:19
Who knows?
53:20
Because they wasn't messing around.
53:22
So we couldn't take that risk.
53:24
Do you know what I'm saying?
53:25
So they gave me a percentage of my contract.
53:28
Shook hands to all the best.
53:30
When you're putting these two things together, you're questioning yourself of, yeah.
53:35
I cannot be late again.
53:37
And I could stay playing for this huge Premier League club.
53:41
Or I'm just taking the money.
53:44
Remember, I had four years left.
53:45
It was a decent amount.
53:46
So it made me think, do I stay?
53:49
Because I could make much more.
53:51
And I could, if I behave myself,
53:53
I can kind of really push and, do you know what I'm saying?
53:56
I can get into the team.
53:57
I could be a Newcastle legend maybe.
53:58
Who knows that, do you know what I'm saying?
54:00
With the ability I have.
54:01
But then you've got that.
54:03
You don't really want to risk that and get nothing.
54:06
So I said, do you know what?
54:06
The best thing to do is I've had a blast to, I've helped.
54:09
You've helped me.
54:10
I've helped you.
54:11
Shake hands.
54:12
And I'll move on.
54:13
it seems to me just from hearing that there is kind of like that settlement knowing that you probably will be late and then you end up with it he asked me I can't remember his name at PFA he was like do you think you're going to be late again and I said maybe he's like
54:30
You can't be late again.
54:31
So, take the money.
54:34
And I was like, you know what?
54:35
They can have a think about it.
54:36
He said, of course you can.
54:38
We're here for this meeting.
54:39
We've got plenty of time.
54:40
So, I just had a think from my mum.
54:42
She said, it's up to you.
54:43
It's your career.
54:45
What do you think?
54:46
It's your choice.
54:47
I was like, oh, man.
54:49
It was a proper headache that day.
54:50
Because I could have stayed and been like, and you don't know what could happen.
54:54
I could have just...
54:55
you know what I'm saying but then it's a risk it's a risk yeah no it's interesting because obviously you didn't trust yourself to do that I didn't trust it and I saw the money I was like
55:06
It's not my whole contract, but it's a decent amount.
55:09
I'm like, oh, just see it out.
55:12
Then I was like, oh, I'm a guy who can't really, I don't like this person.
55:17
I'm scared of myself.
55:19
I was like, I was looking at him like, I went toilet.
55:22
I remember I went toilet in the stadium.
55:23
I was like, looking at him, I was like, I'm scared of myself.
55:26
So I'm going to have to just take the money.
55:29
But it's not like I was greedy for money.
55:31
I wanted to be at Newcastle.
55:32
But if you're putting me against the fence like that, you're just saying late again.
55:36
So not late another 10 times.
55:38
And it's just like, you're late again.
55:39
You're gone.
55:41
Or take this money.
55:42
So they put me against the fence.
55:44
I'm like, nah.
55:47
And obviously I was getting in trouble thing after thing after thing.
55:50
So they were like, but they were still trying to give me a chance.
55:53
But that chance was hardly anything.
55:56
Do you think it was the right thing for them to do?
55:59
Yeah, because I was getting in too much trouble.
56:01
Off the field, papers, Nile Ranger again.
56:03
Nile Ranger kicks off his girlfriend's door.
56:05
Nile Ranger, Nile Ranger.
56:07
It was too much for them, too overwhelmed.
56:09
Like, bro, can't you behave?
56:11
Why is it Nile Ranger in the paper again?
56:13
You just got back in the first team and you're back straight away again.
56:17
Nile Ranger does it.
56:18
In the paper, I'm in the paper.
56:19
They put me in the front of the paper.
56:21
Make it a big article about me.
56:24
Every minute was like, now arranging the paper.
56:26
I used to get my friends messaging me like, again, again, again.
56:29
And I'm like, then I started thinking, I'm like, something's not right, you know.
56:35
I swear to God, I started thinking, hmm, I don't know what's wrong with me, but I can't behave.
56:41
I can't behave.
56:43
Matt.
56:44
You mentioned that you felt leaving Newcastle was coming.
56:47
Yeah.
56:48
Because of all these incidents.
56:50
You were quite vocal.
56:51
There's something I want to talk to you about.
56:52
You were quite vocal on socials in the lead up to this, actually.
56:56
I know what happened.
56:58
Is that when I said the fans...
57:02
if you don't come if you don't I'll read the quote out so it might be tough you listening back to this but you said to the Newcastle fans if you are loyal fans be with us be the 12th man don't come and boo that ain't going to help anyone we're a team you boo one player you're booing all of us obviously you're very passionate yeah yeah yeah of course what exactly happened?
57:23
I can't remember why I was getting booed I thought I was losing and I was just like you know what I feel like I'm part of this team I was going to do a tweet did that
57:32
and then the fans just feel bonkers I was getting sprays painted on my door no way on my garage door no like the garage door that chicken scrap car scraps true Geordie good guy I like true Geordie now proper good nice guy but at the time he but he batted me on the YouTube I feel like took off his career to be honest but
57:55
Good for him.
57:55
I'm happy for him.
57:56
Yeah.
57:57
He went blasting me like, oh, who do you think?
58:00
Because I'm the youngster, isn't it?
58:02
And I'm not Alan Shearer, the way I've scored.
58:05
But anyway, I'm more like, I don't care if I'm Alan Shearer or not.
58:07
I'm part of this team.
58:09
I might be the youngster, but I'm in this team.
58:10
I'm going to say how I feel.
58:13
Okay.
58:13
You know what I'm saying?
58:15
And then, that went left.
58:17
It went left.
58:18
Some people respected it, but some people were like, who are you to say that?
58:22
But I'm part of this team, so I'm going to say it.
58:24
That's how I feel.
58:25
Yeah, and it was literally the following week.
58:28
Then there was another incident following it.
58:31
So you post a photo on Instagram with Ranger spelt out in 25 notes.
58:36
And the caption was Crass with Cash.
58:39
Was it?
58:40
It was.
58:41
Was it?
58:41
It was.
58:42
It was Crass with Cash.
58:43
Crass with Cash.
58:46
No, that's not my word.
58:47
I don't think I'd say that.
58:49
I don't think I...
58:50
I just put Ranger in pink.
58:52
And...
58:53
I don't think that was the same time as when that happened.
58:58
I did that before and I made a mistake by putting it up.
59:01
Maybe someone, so I deleted it.
59:04
Maybe someone put it up after or something, but that was way before.
59:08
any of that I was even in the first team like that.
59:10
So it's interesting.
59:11
So it sounds to me like the articles have shaped it.
59:15
As though that is one week after, you've raged the Newcastle fans even more.
59:20
Yeah, no, that'd be outrageous doing that.
59:23
I was proper in the team then when I said that, oh, why are you booing or whatever or not?
59:30
With that range of thing, I think that was like one of my first times going to a casino and I won.
59:34
And I was like,
59:35
I was damn and gassed.
59:37
I put ranges within 20.
59:38
I think I put it up on Facebook or something or something.
59:42
It was Instagram.
59:43
Instagram maybe.
59:44
And the backlash I got was serious.
59:47
But I didn't know because I'm so...
59:49
I just thought, oh, I was just having banter.
59:51
Banter, but...
59:52
Yeah, it was madness.
59:54
I should never have done that.
59:55
When you say the back glass, for what then at this point?
59:58
Because it was like, I was that youngster, I was top-topic at that, do you know what I'm saying, in and around the first team.
1:00:06
And then I've gone and done that.
1:00:07
It looks big, it looks like, what's this guy doing?
1:00:09
It just looks, it looks yuck.
1:00:11
You know what I'm saying?
1:00:12
Even, because I'm not an image man, I've never been the man when I was playing football, get a big watch, get a this, this.
1:00:18
I liked a nice car.
1:00:19
get a property that, and you know what I'm saying?
1:00:21
I like to, I didn't want to have a big, um, Rolex or this and that and buy so many watches and that, just get my car changed a few times.
1:00:29
Like, so me doing that was a bit yucky.
1:00:34
It's yucky.
1:00:35
I think you felt it at the time because it was very shortly after you actually deleted me.
1:00:39
Yeah, because it was yuck.
1:00:40
I don't know why I did it and I was like, wait, this ain't me that this is not, what am I doing?
1:00:46
But clearly it was me at the time because I did it and posted it.
1:00:50
I looked at the picture.
1:00:51
I was like, yeah, this looks like.
1:00:52
And I put it on Instagram.
1:00:53
So clearly it was me at the time.
1:00:55
Might have been gassed.
1:00:56
I don't know that I won that.
1:00:58
Who knows?
1:00:59
But that is yucky.
1:01:02
How long after do you think the regret came in for that?
1:01:05
Maybe quick.
1:01:07
Was it a backlash that caused that regret?
1:01:09
Or maybe.
1:01:10
I don't know.
1:01:10
Maybe.
1:01:11
And maybe one of my friends says, what are you doing, bro?
1:01:13
That's mad.
1:01:14
Or something.
1:01:14
And I just took it down.
1:01:17
Because it is that.
1:01:18
What are you doing?
1:01:19
That's a bit like show-off-y that never been that type of guy that to show off that.
1:01:27
Yeah.
1:01:28
So I don't know what come over me that day.
1:01:30
And if you look at a young kid doing that now at that age I'll be like what are you doing bro?
1:01:35
That's mad.
1:01:35
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:01:36
So I can see where people went mad at it.
1:01:40
Yeah.
1:01:41
After the way you left did you feel any emotion towards the Newcastle fans?
1:01:45
Obviously they gave you a lot of stick right at the end.
1:01:47
Yeah.
1:01:48
I kind of deserved it.
1:01:50
Did you feel like the time?
1:01:53
Yeah, I feel like I deserved it.
1:01:54
But is that because I kept just getting case after case and trouble after trouble in that city.
1:02:01
Then I'll be in the team.
1:02:04
Then I'll be turning up late.
1:02:06
Remember, I've got players who are getting big players on 70 grand, 80 grand, experienced pros, being at big clubs on United.
1:02:15
And I'm just...
1:02:17
Turning up late Like There's no respect Where's the respect That It gets to the stage That you don't respect us But it was never that I respected Every single one of them I just had trouble Waking up To get to training Or I respected all of them But I just couldn't Get up So it got to the stage That you don't respect us And I was like No I do I just Have trouble getting up
1:02:40
When you say trouble getting up, what, like, just literally waking up?
1:02:42
Like, waking up.
1:02:43
Like, I'll be snoozing my alarm 15 times, and I'll just know that, oh, my gosh, I'm the last one.
1:02:51
This is the one I need to get, like...
1:02:53
It was just a struggle.
1:02:54
I don't know how to explain it.
1:02:54
I swear, I just struggled.
1:02:57
Was that because of any, like, alcohol going out, nights out?
1:03:00
Or maybe sometimes, but sometimes I might stay up late, play on my game, and then I'll just...
1:03:05
I'll be just snoozing a lot.
1:03:08
Like, I need this.
1:03:09
I'll snooze it for five more minutes.
1:03:10
I know I've got... You know when you know, kind of, you've got a little extra... Ah, okay, I can do it again.
1:03:15
And then... Then...
1:03:18
When you feel that silence for too long, and then you hear it again, and you feel like, no, this...
1:03:23
And then I look at the time and it's like, I've got two minutes to get in, brush my teeth, just about wash my face, throw on the check suit.
1:03:30
And you can just see the sleep in my face when I get in.
1:03:32
My face is a little crumpled.
1:03:34
And it's like, and the first look at me like, you don't like your money.
1:03:40
You don't like your money.
1:03:41
And then that will stop me.
1:03:43
Not just your money.
1:03:44
I'm the youngster coming in late.
1:03:45
You're not going to be in the squad now.
1:03:47
And I'll be like, oh, yeah, you're not in the squad because you're late.
1:03:49
Another youngster will take your spot.
1:03:52
Things like that as well, do you know what I'm saying?
1:03:54
Yeah, did you get nervous turning up late all the time?
1:03:56
Sometimes, when you got to the gate and when it comes to walking in, I'll be like, lads, sorry, I'm late.
1:04:03
And they'll be like, again.
1:04:06
And then somebody back like that.
1:04:07
Just bring him back to the... Nicky Butt would say something like that.
1:04:11
Or somebody would say, just put him back to the result like...
1:04:15
Yeah, all the time.
1:04:16
And that was just banter.
1:04:17
That wasn't... Nah, Sam used to be serious.
1:04:19
Just bring him back to the reserves.
1:04:20
Bring him back to the reserves.
1:04:22
How did you react to that?
1:04:24
I'm not going to be wrong and strong.
1:04:26
Just said, just...
1:04:27
I'm sorry, lads.
1:04:28
I'm not going to be...
1:04:28
Shut up.
1:04:29
Like, they're not going to do that.
1:04:31
Because I'm one of the main youngsters.
1:04:33
And I'm needed in this team.
1:04:34
I'm not going to do that.
1:04:36
So I just, like...
1:04:37
Sorry, sorry, sorry.
1:04:39
Imagine me barking up when I'm late turning a butt to Nicky.
1:04:45
No chance.
1:04:45
I wouldn't do it now.
1:04:47
I respect, even as a 35 year old, I respect his career so much.
1:04:52
And
1:04:53
a lot of the players that I have respect for them forever do you know what I'm saying I'm still that youngster to them do you know what I'm saying yeah yeah even though I'm a big guy they're still older than me and you gotta respect your elders kind of especially when they've had their career how they have and they remember you from that time yeah of course but they always know I showed them respect even though
1:05:13
I was a troublemaker a bit and I couldn't really, they, they, I think they respect me, they like me.
1:05:19
Do you ever look back at that time and wonder what could have actually happened there for you?
1:05:24
Um...
1:05:26
Sometimes I said I don't have regrets, but just naturally you're like, ah, my career could have been and I have people saying, yeah, So you should be in you should have like ten mansions the way you did talent you had remember I say for blackpools and Dave or remember always say Even Davis, he was just like yeah, no, he said it on the
1:05:48
what did he say under the cross he was like listen Niles should be in have 10 mansions right now like he was our best player at Blackpool like but he just he didn't lock in you know what I'm saying he did get another chance though straight after Newcastle and that was Swindon at 22 years old which is interesting because they tried to get you at youth level yeah and obviously you left them for Newcastle yeah
1:06:11
importantly more importantly you started scoring goals for them smacking in goals that's a good spell i had to did that feel like a fresh start to you yeah it did but i still had that thing hanging over my head with the case but then so something there was a stage i didn't start turning up at swindon and that just didn't go in but i was scoring a lot of goals for them but i felt like a new fresh leaf like you know what i'm saying
1:06:34
Did you still believe at this point you could end up back in the Premier League?
1:06:38
Yeah, I had that.
1:06:40
I feel like that, so I feel like that, yeah.
1:06:44
But because I remember Swindon had a set up with Tottenham.
1:06:47
They used to bring all the Tottenham players on loan to Swindon.
1:06:51
And then I remember I was supposed to go QPR at one stage.
1:06:54
I had a meeting with Les Ferdinand and I forgot the black guy's name.
1:07:01
He had a spell with them, he was at Tottenham for a bit.
1:07:03
Not Tim Sherwood, there was another guy.
1:07:06
Pat Reyes, that's awesome, guy.
1:07:09
Forgot his name, man.
1:07:10
He had a little spell with them for a bit.
1:07:12
But anyway, let's further, I said, do you know that Nao, Tottenham were watching you for a long time when you was at Swindon?
1:07:20
I was like,
1:07:22
What?
1:07:22
He was like, yeah, I was watching.
1:07:24
You had your, you was on the radar for ages when you're swearing or so.
1:07:27
Soon.
1:07:27
And then something happened where I hit, um, a female friend when I was drunk and it just got mad that went everywhere.
1:07:35
Then that was another thing.
1:07:38
Cause I, I beat my case, got, I'm not guilty with the grape situation.
1:07:44
And then, um, weeks later that come up.
1:07:48
It was madness.
1:07:49
It was just one thing after another.
1:07:52
Then I started thinking, what's wrong with me?
1:07:58
Did you start to lose confidence at any point?
1:08:00
Obviously, at the start, I imagined you're confident.
1:08:03
You've always been a confidence person.
1:08:05
With all of this going on, did you start to lose confidence in yourself?
1:08:08
I was confident.
1:08:09
Always confident.
1:08:10
Even up to now.
1:08:11
Always confident.
1:08:12
But it was like...
1:08:13
I was like, my chances are running out though.
1:08:16
But, that's not because of my ability or anything.
1:08:18
It's because I'm causing too much trouble.
1:08:21
So, your name, you can't even get picked.
1:08:24
We want you, but we can't even come for you now because the fans won't want it.
1:08:27
It won't.
1:08:28
We just look bad for our image.
1:08:30
Got to that.
1:08:30
So, I started getting blackballed.
1:08:31
Blackballing myself, sort of thing.
1:08:33
That's what I need.
1:08:34
And I was like, I know
1:08:36
That guy on your team can't tie my shoelaces, but I know he behaves himself.
1:08:43
So you're going to go for him or for me.
1:08:45
That's what happens.
1:08:46
I know, I know how it goes, but it's just that I'd rather take this guy.
1:08:49
What I know is going to turn up on time, work hard.
1:08:52
Yeah.
1:08:54
Then you was like a ticking time bomb.
1:08:57
A manager said to me, when you leave, when you leave the training ground, I'm shit scared.
1:09:04
When you're here, it's all fine.
1:09:05
When you leave us, I'm shit scared.
1:09:07
That you're going to do something.
1:09:08
Get anxiety.
1:09:08
Get anxiety.
1:09:09
Yeah.
1:09:10
And I was like, oh, that's mad.
1:09:12
That stuck with me when you said that.
1:09:13
Yeah.
1:09:14
So how did that make you feel when a manager's saying something like that to you?
1:09:18
I kind of laughed it off when I got in my car, I was like,
1:09:21
He's being serious, you know, and I don't want to make him, so I try my best to behave because I didn't want to make him feel like that.
1:09:28
Like anxiety is now stranger doing right now.
1:09:32
There's no, he's behaving now.
1:09:33
You know what I'm saying?
1:09:35
Now I'll be like, Ooh, for him to say that it was serious.
1:09:38
He's got me dead in my eye.
1:09:39
Didn't laugh or nothing.
1:09:40
I kind of laughed a bit, but he was serious.
1:09:42
Like you give me anxiety when you, you need this building.
1:09:45
Don't know what you're going to do.
1:09:47
And I'm like, Ooh, flipping all that.
1:09:51
just darkness you know what i'm saying but did you laugh off a lot of these situations yeah sometimes why was that just did maybe just hoping making it i don't know i just like laughing off did i think about after did it make you feel awkward at any point when they were saying these kind of things to you i'm i know how to flow and talk to people i know how to just operate in different rooms but
1:10:16
Thinking about it afterwards, I would think to myself like, oh, yeah, that's...
1:10:21
He was serious when you were saying that.
1:10:23
Yeah.
1:10:24
You're good as gold when you're here.
1:10:25
So when you leave us, we don't know what you're going to do.
1:10:28
Yeah.
1:10:28
That stuck with me.
1:10:30
Yeah, because you obviously smashed it there, like you said, we were scoring so many goals, clubs always wanted you.
1:10:35
Only a year later, you moved back up to the Championship at Blackpool, you're 23 years old.
1:10:40
What's that period like going back up again?
1:10:43
Yeah, that was alright, but the deal I had there wasn't the greatest deal.
1:10:48
And I always say that the Icelanders, I don't really have respect for the Icelanders, and probably a lot of players don't.
1:10:55
But...
1:10:56
They doubted me.
1:10:57
Not saying I'm a saint or anything, but you know what you're saying, and you know I'm not a saint, but you could have gave me a better deal, and you didn't.
1:11:07
I think I was on 150.
1:11:10
150 a week, three grand signing, well, three grand appearance, pro rata, so I have to play the whole game to get three grand, basically.
1:11:19
So if I paid a certain amount of minutes, that's what they'll pay me.
1:11:22
Does that make sense?
1:11:23
Mm.
1:11:24
Mm.
1:11:24
It's quite an interesting deal, that.
1:11:26
Wait, set.
1:11:27
Swing then.
1:11:30
Yep.
1:11:32
Yeah, that's what happened, yeah.
1:11:34
So, yeah, it was interesting.
1:11:35
But obviously, I said to myself, that's where the confidence, I'm so confident.
1:11:40
I said, I'll take that.
1:11:40
Because there was other officers that have got more than one.
1:11:43
But I said, let me get back to the championship.
1:11:45
That's the only one now.
1:11:46
I'll take that.
1:11:46
And I showed it.
1:11:48
And I kind of was.
1:11:48
And then I just started just going off the rails again.
1:11:53
Yeah, well, in the middle of your spell at Blackpool...
1:11:56
I left.
1:11:57
Yeah, so you disappeared around November time, and the manager actually joked to the press at the time saying, I have no idea where he is.
1:12:05
You weren't turning up to training.
1:12:08
Did all of the press at that time, there was a lot of media, did that affect you at all mentally?
1:12:13
No.
1:12:14
I didn't give a shit about Rat's arse about that.
1:12:16
No?
1:12:17
I didn't care in that.
1:12:18
The only time I was affected was when I had that thing hanging over my head with the grape thing and obviously charged through it.
1:12:27
And I'm like, well, I've definitely didn't do it.
1:12:29
I'm not guilty for this.
1:12:31
I definitely know what went down and why is she lying?
1:12:34
And it kind of just...
1:12:36
put a bad thing on me because I was supposed to go to different clubs, like higher up and I couldn't go because that was hanging over my head.
1:12:43
Then, um, when I got not guilty, obviously I felt relieved.
1:12:48
But then after that, I had that thing where my hits are hit, hit a female and all of that stuff up and that was no good.
1:12:57
And then that kind of put me in a dark light again.
1:13:00
I had, um, a manager for me is, um, what's his name again?
1:13:07
I can't remember his name.
1:13:08
He's at QPR for a bit.
1:13:10
He's at Blackpool for a while.
1:13:12
He's at Swindon now.
1:13:12
What's his name?
1:13:13
I forgot his name.
1:13:14
Anyway, he phoned me or messaged me.
1:13:16
I can't remember.
1:13:16
I figured the phone was like, I've got daughters.
1:13:18
I would never sign you for my team.
1:13:21
After that, it was serious.
1:13:22
I was thinking about signing you for so long.
1:13:24
I'll never sign you.
1:13:26
Sorry, take me back.
1:13:27
So where was that?
1:13:29
That was after Swindon.
1:13:31
Yeah.
1:13:31
Because I was supposed to go to Blackpool.
1:13:34
Yeah.
1:13:35
And I did a medical with Blackpool everything when Paul Ince was there.
1:13:39
But that thing was hanging over my head.
1:13:41
The great thing was hanging over my head.
1:13:44
And then they made me do a medical everything.
1:13:46
Then I got charged.
1:13:47
Then the deal just, they didn't put the deal through with the FA.
1:13:51
So the Icelanders kept it there, just held it there to see the outcome of that.
1:13:55
They charged me and they didn't put that deal through.
1:13:57
That was five grand a week.
1:13:59
It was a decent deal.
1:14:00
Then I went to Swindon after that done well there.
1:14:04
Obviously I beat that case, got me guilty.
1:14:06
Then that female, I hit a female friend.
1:14:12
Blacked out, I didn't even know I did it.
1:14:13
And then kind of thing was like, but we did, we used to always play like that.
1:14:19
We used to always play like that.
1:14:20
We used to play.
1:14:20
So she was your friend?
1:14:21
My friend.
1:14:22
And then we used to play fight all the time and that, but I blacked out, but she said,
1:14:28
How you hit me this time was outrageous.
1:14:30
Even though we play like that, it was outrageously mad.
1:14:32
I was like, right, they even know so, sort of thing.
1:14:35
Anyway, got not guilty for that, but I got guilty for, um, kicking the door off.
1:14:40
Cause I kicked the door straight away after that incident.
1:14:43
And then the person went to fix the door.
1:14:46
They filmed me doing it and sold it to the paper.
1:14:49
Does that make sense?
1:14:51
That's how they found out it was me and all of that.
1:14:53
Then I went black for after that on 150 a week, then.
1:14:57
I was doing alright, what's his name, Tomo, he used to be at Newcastle, Alan Thompson and, what's his name, and he was at Newcastle for a bit, I forgot his name, how can I forget, that's crazy.
1:15:11
Alan Thompson was the assistant and it was, I shouldn't be forgetting this name to be honest, Lee Klopp, Lee Klopp was the manager at Blackpool.
1:15:23
But for a while, he liked me, he wanted me to be on a better deal.
1:15:26
But then the oysters wasn't having it.
1:15:29
I just left.
1:15:31
I said, I'm doing well for Blackboard.
1:15:33
I'm gone.
1:15:33
Left.
1:15:35
And then someone else come in after that.
1:15:37
And I tried to go back cause they activated my option.
1:15:40
Why would you activate, activate?
1:15:42
They had the choice to activate my option and they activated it.
1:15:45
That makes sense.
1:15:46
And I'm like, I wasn't there for like six months and you wanted to, you still trying to activate my contract.
1:15:50
You're doing that out of.
1:15:53
I don't know what that is.
1:15:53
I'll spite.
1:15:55
Because I don't want to be there.
1:15:56
You've got me on 150 a week.
1:15:57
I'm not trying to...
1:15:58
These pay me what I'm worth sort of thing.
1:16:00
And he wasn't trying to do that.
1:16:02
You mentioned the deal that you were on there.
1:16:04
So were they still paying you that then when you were putting it up?
1:16:07
No, no.
1:16:08
You weren't getting anything?
1:16:09
Nothing.
1:16:10
You talked about the grape thing a few times here.
1:16:13
Yeah.
1:16:14
How badly did that affect you?
1:16:16
Well, you see, when I done my mutual consent, that was the last thing where Newcastle was like, oh, this is too much sort of thing.
1:16:23
But it affected me because I couldn't go to clubs and all of that.
1:16:27
And then when a girl's lying on you, it's crazy because one of my friends, when I beat the case years later, my friend see her out and he said to her, like, why did you even say that sort of thing?
1:16:38
And she went up to him and said, listen, I had a boyfriend at the time.
1:16:42
I got back late and he went through my phone and he saw Niall messaging me and whatnot.
1:16:48
And I just said that he raped me.
1:16:52
Jesus Christ.
1:16:53
He was like, that's bad.
1:16:54
She was like, tell him if you ever see him.
1:16:56
I'm sorry.
1:16:57
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:16:58
Things like that.
1:16:58
And it was too late for that.
1:17:00
I've got black bull from all clubs and all of that.
1:17:04
Just because you had a boyfriend, I don't know.
1:17:07
To be fair, some guys punch up girls and do these things.
1:17:10
You know what I'm saying?
1:17:10
So you could have battered her that day if she didn't say that.
1:17:13
So kind of...
1:17:14
I kind of slimly hair it, but if he's going to batter you, once you get away from that, don't be with him and tell them the truth.
1:17:23
You know what I'm saying?
1:17:25
I didn't rape you, so it's bizarre.
1:17:28
But obviously, got not guilty, beat that.
1:17:31
And then, yeah, team started coming in for me again sort of thing.
1:17:38
But then I went to...
1:17:40
Blackpool.
1:17:41
So I beat that case whilst I was at Swindon.
1:17:43
Swindon took me whilst I had that case.
1:17:45
You know, and then I went to Blackpool after the spell at Swindon.
1:17:50
Because they got rid of me Swindon as well.
1:17:51
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:17:52
Because after that little altercation they were like, now you're doing too much.
1:17:56
When you're going through a case like this, does a club come to you and ask you direct...
1:18:01
are you going to be found guilty for this?
1:18:03
No.
1:18:03
No?
1:18:04
That's hanging over your head and you've been charged.
1:18:07
They're kind of like, nah.
1:18:09
And that's what happened at Newcastle.
1:18:11
That was the last thing where they said mutual consent, take this money or if you're late again.
1:18:16
But I kind of read the rumour.
1:18:17
I was like,
1:18:20
Yeah, I know if I'm late and I've got this hanging, even if I sneeze too hard, you're going to rip it out.
1:18:26
You want to get rid of me now?
1:18:27
This is hanging.
1:18:27
I've got this.
1:18:28
I was there.
1:18:29
Tried to go.
1:18:30
Hull.
1:18:30
Steve Bruce coming for me.
1:18:33
They heard that and then they were like, nah, we're not going to do it anymore.
1:18:37
Who else?
1:18:38
The street clubs were coming for me.
1:18:39
I was that hanging over my head.
1:18:41
Swindon was the only one that took me.
1:18:43
Yeah.
1:18:43
The only team.
1:18:44
Are you grateful for them?
1:18:45
Grateful for them.
1:18:46
Of course.
1:18:46
I just would spell it as well.
1:18:48
An accusation like that, teams don't touch that.
1:18:50
Teams don't touch.
1:18:51
Even...
1:18:52
after you get found not guilty, you're still tarnished a bit in a way.
1:18:56
It's hard to explain because there's a few people who go through these things and it still puts something on your image, if that makes sense.
1:19:05
But there is real...
1:19:07
um, people going through real situations that, do you know what I'm saying?
1:19:11
Like this.
1:19:13
And then there's, there is females that tell fibs and there's real females that could actually go through it.
1:19:18
So it is, it is one, but it's a sad situation on both parts because there's footballers out here.
1:19:25
They might have a night out, they might have a one night stand or do something.
1:19:28
And then.
1:19:29
They might see dollar signs and think, this guy's got money.
1:19:33
Let me just make up a situation where and get him arrested.
1:19:37
So it's, do you know what I'm saying?
1:19:40
It happens also a lot.
1:19:41
I won't be the first.
1:19:42
I won't be the last.
1:19:43
Just got the not guilty in court and that was enough.
1:19:45
But she, she said to our friend years later, like, yeah, I had to do it because I had a boyfriend.
1:19:51
But, girls shouldn't be able to do that.
1:19:54
Because that can ruin a man's career.
1:19:57
Put a real
1:19:59
thing on your career no matter what even now i'm found not guilty i'm cleared of it still got that you know what i'm saying you can have brand deals or anything it could just mess you up does that become more frustrating yeah it does uh but i said to my solicitor like well can't we do anything about that he's like nope now just get with your career just get with your career
1:20:20
after because after I got I was like nah listen I went for a whole madness for a year he's like nope nope focus on your career please now and I was just like cool no problem
1:20:31
Trust me, it's dark, but it happens.
1:20:33
Do you think things like that is what led you into doing other things as well?
1:20:37
Having something like that hanging over you?
1:20:40
No, because I was from young, I've always had little, do you know what I'm saying?
1:20:45
Like troubles with the law, little things.
1:20:47
So that was just a blip of you, you call it.
1:20:51
Like, do you know what I'm saying?
1:20:52
But obviously, it did take a big blip because I had big clubs that were coming for me and I couldn't go there.
1:20:58
Yeah.
1:20:59
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:21:00
So it messed me up quite a bit.
1:21:01
Yeah.
1:21:02
It put a hold on me for time.
1:21:03
Yeah.
1:21:04
Yeah.
1:21:04
Well, after Blackpool, Saifan came in here.
1:21:08
And this chairman is a top, top chairman, Ron Martin.
1:21:11
I respect him so much.
1:21:13
He said, we're not going to blackpool you.
1:21:15
We're going to give you a decent deal.
1:21:17
And I was flying at Southend with Phil Brown.
1:21:20
Phil Brown's a top gaffer as well.
1:21:22
I was literally going to ask, what was your relationship?
1:21:24
It was good.
1:21:25
It was good.
1:21:26
He's a proper, proper manager.
1:21:27
What did he want from you when you joined?
1:21:30
He just said, listen, I know you can do.
1:21:32
Just work hard for me and I'll look after you.
1:21:35
And that's what I did.
1:21:36
And he looked after me.
1:21:38
looked after me, I was like, the main boy there, but I started doing the late stuff again, you know what I'm saying, and also I had an old case with what creeped up as well, so that was like,
1:21:51
Yeah, that was a mad one because they put me in jail for that as well.
1:21:55
You know what I'm saying?
1:21:56
But Southend still kept me.
1:21:57
Felt like a Southend, Southampton situation again, but just a bit older.
1:22:02
And I got the same type of sentence three months in jail.
1:22:05
Like, it was just madness.
1:22:06
But Phil Brown, he backed me all the way.
1:22:09
Like, he was just like, yeah, this is my striker.
1:22:11
You know what I'm saying?
1:22:13
Yeah, well, it's like you said, at this point then, football starts becoming a smaller part of your story.
1:22:18
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
1:22:18
Because you've got a lot going on.
1:22:20
From your perspective, what was actually happening there?
1:22:23
With?
1:22:24
With this case going on?
1:22:26
It was just an odd... Something old.
1:22:28
So basically...
1:22:31
I wasn't really, I know guys are a bit funny and whether or whatnot, but, um, I, a friend phoned me and said, listen, I'm not making some money right now.
1:22:39
Can you put me through to someone?
1:22:40
I was like, listen, I've got a number for you.
1:22:43
You lot talk and speak and whatever, whatever you're doing, whatever money you make, that's on you, you want to help your, your house get sorted.
1:22:50
You got problems.
1:22:51
Then I've put you through to someone.
1:22:53
Did that.
1:22:54
And then in a nutshell, my name's getting.
1:22:57
called and it just went left.
1:22:59
And I was like, bro, I just told you about a guy.
1:23:01
Why is mine then getting called in this and that?
1:23:03
And then with that, my sister was like, you shouldn't be going in jail for this.
1:23:07
This is outrageously crazy.
1:23:09
Never heard of this.
1:23:10
There's people doing some mad stuff and all you did is give a number to someone and you're going to prison for it, but it's your name brand.
1:23:16
So because of your name, this is why you're going in jail.
1:23:19
I got some grand job for that.
1:23:21
And he was like, yep, three months I got again in Penettonville.
1:23:24
That prison was the older prison where there's phones, there's gun jugs, there's drugs, there's all sorts of things going on in the day.
1:23:33
There's men getting stabbed in their face.
1:23:34
There's just madness.
1:23:36
But like I say, I can hold my own.
1:23:37
This time when I went to prison, everybody knows who I am.
1:23:40
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:23:40
Because I've been
1:23:42
in that limelight and new car so did it so everyone's like range up and but i'm cool i can hold my own that makes sense yeah did it come as a good thing or a bad thing for you being known in prison no just took it just just took it my straight that because i just couldn't just get on with things you know what i'm saying so it was all right for me it's just like i said
1:24:03
Wrong timing because I wanted to be at South End.
1:24:06
I lacked my freedom.
1:24:07
I don't like being controlled, eating their food.
1:24:10
It's just boring.
1:24:12
Did you realize whilst you were in prison that football is kind of starting to slip away from you here?
1:24:19
Not really because even when I was getting older, I was just like,
1:24:23
No matter what, I've got, I've had a career where I can do an academy.
1:24:28
I can do lots of other stuff.
1:24:30
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:24:31
So I'm established.
1:24:32
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:24:33
Like I said, I've got my own podcast now, the Indonautio, that that's motion, that little things like that, do you know what I'm saying?
1:24:39
And everybody knows me for, yeah, he's a bit of a, he's been a bad egg, but he's a real good footballer.
1:24:45
No one can take that away from him.
1:24:46
So that's what I thought.
1:24:48
I started thinking like that.
1:24:49
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:24:50
When you were in prison then and you were thinking like that, did you think there could be another big opportunity in football coming back for you?
1:25:01
People used to say, you can go again, you can go again.
1:25:04
Because when I think about it, like I said, World Weeks 35.
1:25:07
So I probably could have gone again, but just kept getting a little late.
1:25:13
And that's just the, do you know what I'm saying?
1:25:17
I just wasn't serious, man.
1:25:19
As much as people were serious about me and what I could do for them on the field, they respected it, they loved it.
1:25:25
But I just wasn't serious.
1:25:27
Well, it was one of them once.
1:25:29
Yeah, of course.
1:25:29
And there's obviously so many moments away from football that's been so well documented.
1:25:35
Looking back now, how do you look at that version of yourself throughout your career?
1:25:42
Yeah, you know what?
1:25:44
It's hard to say because it's that...
1:25:46
When I look back, it's that... Yo, what type of...
1:25:50
rock star lifestyle you're trying to live like but i proper wasn't trying to do that it was like more like i was just being me but i feel like there's things that i was doing what shouldn't have been doing does that make sense yeah man it's just discipline i should have just had more discipline one do you recognize that person at all
1:26:14
Nah, I do.
1:26:16
That'll be like, that's in, that person is tucked away, deep in.
1:26:21
Because I know I've got a son now, I know how to, I'm getting older, as you mature, as you get older.
1:26:26
And they say men mature later than women.
1:26:28
And you know what I'm saying?
1:26:30
But I feel like I'm getting more mature now.
1:26:31
It's strange.
1:26:33
If them contracts, I know them things happen now, and I had this mindset, when I was, oh, I'll be flying.
1:26:40
So, I feel like with age, you do kind of,
1:26:44
mature.
1:26:45
When did Nile Ranger start looking at Nile Ranger differently?
1:26:49
It took a while.
1:26:53
But I still feel like up to now I have my little like, do you know what I'm saying?
1:26:57
I'll be like, you know, you're too old for that.
1:26:59
You're an old man.
1:27:00
You need to really like lock in with other paths, career paths.
1:27:05
Like I'm still playing football now.
1:27:06
I'm still good.
1:27:07
But you've got to kind of
1:27:10
Like, you got lucky with other things now, man.
1:27:11
You know what I'm saying?
1:27:13
Well, what do you mean you still have your moments?
1:27:14
Like, a moment where you want to do something?
1:27:16
Not do something crazy.
1:27:17
Like, I'm going on a cheeky night out.
1:27:19
And in that cheeky night out, let me say, I might have a drink.
1:27:23
So, if I'm driving to that night out, am I going to just leave my car there?
1:27:28
Or am I going to jump back in my car and drive a bit tipsy?
1:27:31
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:27:33
That's how I'm talking about them things.
1:27:35
Like, so...
1:27:37
Because I do like a little cheeky night every so often.
1:27:40
But when I drive there, cool.
1:27:42
I've got to know my limit.
1:27:43
So your son's obviously read a few things about you.
1:27:47
I don't think he can read as much like that.
1:27:50
But seeing, hearing, seeing it.
1:27:53
Like, oh, now Ranger went to prison.
1:27:55
Or da-da-da-da.
1:27:57
Because he's clicking.
1:27:57
He's allowed to click everything.
1:27:58
And there's YouTube things.
1:28:00
Everything's out there.
1:28:01
He's probably just on his iPad.
1:28:03
Ticking, clicking, you know what I'm saying?
1:28:05
Yeah, of course.
1:28:06
But these ones, there's compilations of me scoring goals, then there's, ah, now Ranger's in prison, because they did, or, now Ranger does this.
1:28:14
And he's thinking, he's smart, he listens and he knows what's going on.
1:28:18
How old is he?
1:28:18
Five.
1:28:19
But he actually, smart lad, like he takes in certain things.
1:28:23
He's like three, he's asking me, was I scared in jail?
1:28:26
I'm like, what?
1:28:27
I was like, what do you mean?
1:28:28
I had to get my camera on the slide and film him on the slide.
1:28:31
Still got the video up to now.
1:28:32
And I'm like, how the heck do you know?
1:28:35
Yeah, that's crazy.
1:28:37
That's crazy.
1:28:38
Was you scared in jail?
1:28:39
How do you know about jail?
1:28:40
Do you know what I was saying?
1:28:41
Yeah.
1:28:42
How do you know what jail could even be like?
1:28:44
Like, how do you know jail?
1:28:45
What do you know about?
1:28:46
How do you know what jail means?
1:28:48
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:28:49
He's free And he's saying Was you scared in jail?
1:28:52
Jail can mean smarties It can mean Harry Bowles Like how do you know Jail means Like You should be scared Don't understand That makes sense Yeah no I get you How did you know What jail is?
1:29:03
Like so that's why He listens to certain things He's like Yeah smart Yeah Free Yeah so With that comes with Family Yeah And you know You've made a lot of decisions That you've learned the hard way Yeah
1:29:18
Through all of this, your family is experiencing everything as well.
1:29:22
What were they like during these times?
1:29:26
I remember I put up a gun at Newcastle with a BB gun.
1:29:31
And I put it on my BB Blackberry status.
1:29:33
And they were like, yo, take that down.
1:29:35
He's stupid.
1:29:36
They'll get them to me for dumb things, but...
1:29:39
I will just do it and they'll get on to me.
1:29:42
Now we need to focus, need to focus, but I must be like, yeah, I know, I know.
1:29:46
Like I said to you, I know, I know.
1:29:48
I feel like even up to now, sometimes, like, I'm like, I know, I know, I know.
1:29:55
Remember, you learn every day, you know, and like I said, men mature later than women and I still feel like I've got that immature side of me.
1:30:04
I feel like I'll be in me forever, you know, but,
1:30:08
I need to, I need a balance.
1:30:10
And when I do get immature, I need to be not, um, get yourself in trouble.
1:30:15
Like it needs to be like, I don't know, a little bit of balance or like something just immature, a bit of balance and then mature again.
1:30:23
If that makes sense.
1:30:24
Hmm.
1:30:24
This, the gun that you just mentioned there, that picture, that picture went everywhere.
1:30:29
Tell me about that.
1:30:30
So you put the picture on your BBM.
1:30:31
BBM Newcastle time.
1:30:35
Um,
1:30:36
I think I just wanted to just get shot.
1:30:39
I had to talk that BB gun, but I went into just for my garden, put targets and just shoot the targets down.
1:30:48
And then, yeah, I put a picture of my BB status, DP picture and then it went mad.
1:30:57
My family was like, take that down, take that down.
1:31:00
I was like, took it off.
1:31:02
Too late.
1:31:02
It was up for like 30 minutes, 45 minutes.
1:31:04
Too late.
1:31:06
Played against Chelsea.
1:31:08
Come off the pitch.
1:31:09
And then I was pulled to one side.
1:31:11
And then with the... Not the chairman.
1:31:14
It might have been Derek Lambias and Lee Charlie, I think his name is.
1:31:18
And they had a fresh article.
1:31:20
I said the article, they're putting this out tomorrow.
1:31:22
We're just showing you it the day before.
1:31:24
We're going to find you two weeks away.
1:31:26
There's a...
1:31:27
I was like shit and there's like police outside your house now they want the BB gun.
1:31:31
Had to give them the gun.
1:31:33
All madness.
1:31:34
Then it was just like they put me in Looney Tune.
1:31:37
Da da da.
1:31:38
It was mad.
1:31:39
Did they know it was a BB gun?
1:31:41
Because I saw the picture as well and it was, the articles often said it was a real gun.
1:31:46
Yeah they would, and especially with my past they might think ah this guy's like into that shit.
1:31:50
No it was a BB gun.
1:31:51
Great gun.
1:31:52
They're gonna be at Newcastle as a...
1:31:54
Fucking real gun, aren't I?
1:31:56
But, Well, you never know.
1:31:57
You never know.
1:31:58
Trust me, you never know.
1:31:59
But, it was a fake gun.
1:32:01
But they were on to me.
1:32:02
They were on to me.
1:32:04
Then the police would always stop my car because it said Ranger on it.
1:32:07
It's always stop my car in Newcastle.
1:32:09
But I've been stopped four times to the officer.
1:32:11
Surely this is harassment.
1:32:12
What were they stopping you for?
1:32:14
Anything.
1:32:14
Oh, mate, can you do a whistle for us?
1:32:16
Okay, you can go now.
1:32:18
Like, it was just getting silly.
1:32:19
Like, do you know what I'm saying?
1:32:21
They'll stop me for... Every time they see me.
1:32:23
Anytime I see police behind, didn't need to put their sirens on.
1:32:26
I would just park up and they didn't even put their sirens on.
1:32:29
They would just go behind me.
1:32:30
I'd be like, you didn't put your sirens on.
1:32:32
But I stopped just because I know you.
1:32:35
There's no point.
1:32:36
Let's just get to it.
1:32:37
Four times in a day, I would get stopped.
1:32:39
Four times?
1:32:40
Yeah.
1:32:41
Swear to God.
1:32:42
How did that affect you daily if this was happening?
1:32:45
I'll just get on with it.
1:32:46
Fuck it.
1:32:46
I'm legit.
1:32:48
Officer, what do you like?
1:32:50
We'll take care.
1:32:51
Go on.
1:32:52
They just wanted to just see if they could get something.
1:32:55
Do you think they were looking for it?
1:32:57
Yeah, of course.
1:32:58
I don't blame them though because I was hearing my name and hearing what I was like
1:33:04
I might be able to get him in, get him nicked, get my name in the paper.
1:33:10
That's how some people are.
1:33:11
Like, when I used to get arrested, cameras all over the place will not get out.
1:33:16
But I'll be like, how do you not know I've been arrested?
1:33:19
Because the officer will say, we've got an arranger in there for this.
1:33:23
What can I get for it?
1:33:24
I'll give you 500 pounds.
1:33:25
Here you go, give me that.
1:33:26
Here's my details.
1:33:27
Cameras, he'll probably be releasing them at this time.
1:33:30
Cameras everywhere as soon as I get out.
1:33:32
Every time I got nicked, there was cameras everywhere.
1:33:35
It's part of the game though, isn't it?
1:33:38
If I was an officer and I had nothing to do and I wanted to get a little extra something, maybe I would just stop.
1:33:45
Personally, I wouldn't, but I understand why they did it.
1:33:49
It's saying to me, all these situations where people are doing these things, you are very understanding of why they're doing it.
1:33:56
I'm not silly, but...
1:33:59
You make your bread, you've got to lie in it.
1:34:02
Is that because you think you're just trying to understand it from their perspective or you're thinking...
1:34:07
I would do that as well Personally I wouldn't But I understand I'm not busy like that That's not a ranger guy Let him go Let's come over Some people are busy Or we've seen what they put about him in the paper He might just be up to something now We never know And he's got a ranger in his car Let's stop him To see Did you ever have any Like weird altercations with him?
1:34:30
Nah Probably but I can't really remember So sometimes you hear Footballers getting stopped And then
1:34:38
you know they just wanted to meet you rather than actually do anything.
1:34:40
It was more that.
1:34:42
It was more that.
1:34:43
Yeah.
1:34:43
But like I say, I kind of understand why they kept stopping him because they just wanted to try their luck.
1:34:48
Hmm.
1:34:50
When we got to the stage, I was like, officer, listen, this is the fourth time today.
1:34:54
Can you be left alone, please?
1:34:56
This is harassment.
1:34:58
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:35:00
Then I realized all this flashy plate stuff and all this stuff is not worth it.
1:35:03
I like right now where I try so much peace.
1:35:07
I enjoy peace now.
1:35:09
When did you realize that?
1:35:11
Ages ago.
1:35:12
But I really enjoy peace.
1:35:13
I enjoy my own company.
1:35:16
I enjoy it a lot.
1:35:18
My own thoughts, I enjoy it a lot.
1:35:22
Before I used to be around people.
1:35:23
I need to be around people.
1:35:25
I need to flash a nice car plate there.
1:35:28
Now it's like, I like to be, no one knows if I like it like that.
1:35:33
Yeah, because that sounds like a huge change to what we've discussed here.
1:35:37
Obviously, you were saying earlier in the conversation that you didn't even want your friends to leave you.
1:35:42
You didn't want to be on your own.
1:35:44
And then all of a sudden, years go by and you want to be by yourself.
1:35:47
I love it.
1:35:48
Obviously, I like to mingle and...
1:35:51
You know what I'm saying?
1:35:51
Get a little in and up.
1:35:53
But it's never just totally always constant.
1:35:56
It used to be constant.
1:35:57
I always wanted to be around my friends.
1:35:59
I like my own space now, man.
1:36:00
I enjoy it so much.
1:36:02
Yeah, well, we'll go back to football.
1:36:04
And fast forward years later.
1:36:06
Football obviously gives you another incredible moment.
1:36:09
Kettering time.
1:36:10
Oh, yeah, that was a big moment.
1:36:12
FA Cup against Northampton.
1:36:13
Extra time.
1:36:15
you score the winner.
1:36:16
What did that goal mean to you, given everything you've just been through?
1:36:21
I took time out of winning.
1:36:23
I went, obviously, Dean Brennan, top gaffer at Barney, lets me go in for pre-seasons.
1:36:28
Every pre-season, he lets me just pull up and just get fit and then go to a team.
1:36:32
Then I went, Kettering offered me a deal.
1:36:35
George at Kettering.
1:36:38
Top chairman, man, he's good.
1:36:39
I think he sold it now, the club, but...
1:36:41
At the time, went there, stepped three, done well, scored a few goals, then we got to the third round, is it the third round?
1:36:48
Fourth round, was it?
1:36:51
I don't know what round it was.
1:36:52
I can't remember, but it's a derby, Kettering, Northampton, their local derby.
1:36:56
But I'm used to this stuff, playing against teams like that, isn't it?
1:37:00
But I was looking at my players in my team and I thought they might have been a bit nervous, but...
1:37:05
I'm used to, I built for this, innit?
1:37:06
So I was just, they're like, we got this, man.
1:37:09
Anyway, the last minute, I can't remember when I scored, but I just, it was extra time.
1:37:13
I got cramping, and I was like, no, I've got 10 more minutes.
1:37:16
I just remember them all coming in, across from Luka Miller, I think it might have been.
1:37:20
I just leaped up, and just, pull it top corner, kind of thing, and I was like, yeah, that felt good.
1:37:26
But,
1:37:27
It felt good for everyone, the players, the staff, everyone.
1:37:30
It was just a good time, man.
1:37:32
It was a great moment.
1:37:33
Yeah, did.
1:37:33
My son was in the stadium, just jumping up and down.
1:37:36
Oh, my dad's got it.
1:37:37
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:37:38
It was nice.
1:37:39
Yeah, even up to now, he's like, let me watch this goal.
1:37:41
I'm like, nah, you've rinsed it.
1:37:42
You've watched it a thousand times.
1:37:43
He's like, oh, let me see that goal again.
1:37:47
He loved it.
1:37:47
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:37:48
So that's good.
1:37:49
It feels good.
1:37:50
Yeah.
1:37:50
Did it mean more to you because of everything you've experienced?
1:37:54
Maybe, when I think about it now, yeah.
1:37:56
And the fact you got your son in the crowd as well.
1:37:59
It was good, it was immense.
1:38:01
Did you ever think that you'd get a moment like that?
1:38:04
During those years, obviously this big moment is on TV again.
1:38:08
You've been in the spotlight for years, but for the wrong reasons.
1:38:13
When this moment came, did you think, I didn't think I was going to get that?
1:38:19
No.
1:38:19
I always knew, even now, even up to now, I always knew there's going to be moments for me in my career.
1:38:25
Even after football, everything is going to happen.
1:38:28
them moments you feel but that moment there was special because my son was in the stadium it was good for the fans of the derby it was an FA Cup match on TV scored in the last minute no yeah like it was it was serious stuff at the time
1:38:45
You know what I'm saying?
1:38:46
It gave us a boost.
1:38:47
We should have got promotion that season as well.
1:38:49
Didn't work out that way, but we had a good run and a blast, man.
1:38:53
It was good.
1:38:54
It had to be me to score that goal, it had to be me.
1:38:57
You know what I'm saying?
1:38:59
But that was a good...
1:39:00
That was a good time.
1:39:01
Yeah, it was like one of those stories that were written in the stars.
1:39:05
In the stars, 100%.
1:39:06
But it was made for me.
1:39:08
What's interesting for me is everything we spoke about here, and you've seen very positive throughout everything, and even now.
1:39:15
Yeah.
1:39:16
It seems like you're a very positive person and you never look back at these kind of situations.
1:39:21
Yeah, you can't, obviously, like I said, you can't have regrets and certain things in it, but I do, but sometimes, but don't let it hold me for too long.
1:39:28
I'm like, you know what, you've had a blast and you've got other things you're going to face in life that's going to be positive and you're going to keep going.
1:39:35
You know what I'm saying?
1:39:36
I've made a brand, I made my name, like I am who I am.
1:39:40
I'm not a perfect role model, but I'm a role model for some people.
1:39:43
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:39:50
And yeah, everyone's life goes different direction.
1:39:55
But hopefully, God willing, it just continues to just be positive, push out positive things.
1:40:02
Good.
1:40:02
And then despite everything as well, you always come back to football.
1:40:06
I love football.
1:40:07
I realise when I take breaks, I even play with my friends and they're like, you're too good for us, man.
1:40:11
Like, why are you not going back?
1:40:12
And I'm like, shall I go again?
1:40:14
Nah, let me go again.
1:40:15
But I don't want to play in the league again.
1:40:17
Unless Arsenal come in for me.
1:40:19
Arsenal come in for me, shouting at me that I'll go to Arsenal.
1:40:22
But other than that, I like non-league.
1:40:24
I'm just enjoying it.
1:40:25
And my legs are actually like, oh, no, like.
1:40:28
then I'm going to keep going.
1:40:30
We even saw you in Borla League recently.
1:40:31
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
1:40:32
What was that like for you?
1:40:33
Obviously a very different experience.
1:40:35
No, it's a different, it's hot in there as well, man, but it's fun.
1:40:39
Borla League, it's fun.
1:40:40
It's just that you want to be part of it, do you know what I'm saying?
1:40:43
Yeah, Borla League is the proper stuff.
1:40:45
Proper stuff.
1:40:46
Why could you never walk away from football?
1:40:49
Because it's part of me for my whole life, since grandma's garden.
1:40:53
So that's never going to leave me.
1:40:55
What does it actually give you that nothing else does?
1:40:59
It lets me escape.
1:41:00
You said it's an escape.
1:41:02
On that pitch, you just get in your own zone.
1:41:05
And it's nice.
1:41:06
Then I think, comes the pitch, I can think about problems after.
1:41:09
That little 90 minutes or whatever long I'm playing for just gives me that time away.
1:41:14
You know what I'm saying?
1:41:17
And do you think, well, you mentioned there, it being an escape, and I know we've discussed it.
1:41:22
Where do you think you would be if football didn't exist?
1:41:26
I'd probably do another sport.
1:41:28
You think?
1:41:29
Yeah.
1:41:30
Boxing.
1:41:31
Or something.
1:41:31
Maybe.
1:41:32
Because you're boxing now.
1:41:33
Yeah, I've been getting into it.
1:41:34
I've been getting, hey, listen, trust me, that jet boy's got a problem coming soon.
1:41:38
Telling me.
1:41:39
He thinks he's going to be, oh, he's got a problem coming.
1:41:42
I've been training, so.
1:41:44
And they didn't expect me to train, but.
1:41:46
Not training as mad as I should be because I've got other things I'm doing, but I'm doing all right.
1:41:50
I'm looking all right.
1:41:51
For a beginner.
1:41:52
Street fighting, different, but got a bit of that.
1:41:55
But in the ring, you've got to have techers.
1:41:58
And,
1:41:59
I'm kind of cleaning up on my tickets in there, to be honest.
1:42:02
I'm fighting with fighters who I've fought for years, and they're like, nah, you're lying.
1:42:07
You've fought before.
1:42:08
No, I haven't.
1:42:10
Yeah.
1:42:10
No, I haven't.
1:42:11
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:42:11
But that should be fun.
1:42:13
So October 22nd.
1:42:15
October 22nd.
1:42:16
He had a charity match.
1:42:17
J-Man, you're Thomas.
1:42:18
J-Man, you're Thomas.
1:42:19
And you think you've got him?
1:42:20
On the canvas.
1:42:21
I mean, got him.
1:42:22
Trust me.
1:42:23
He's a big lump.
1:42:24
He'd be coming...
1:42:26
strong boy strong lad but I'm strong faster I'm stronger so I'm not sure when this episode goes out so I'm thinking about it now it'd be very interesting to look if it comes out before and if I'm a meme which I'm not make sure you put my face as that meme as well I don't mind that's done well I'm gonna be there I'm gonna be at the fight and watch it first hand there you go and see what goes down 100%
1:42:49
I don't want this conversation just to be about the footballer, Nile Ranger as well.
1:42:53
So who is Nile Ranger today?
1:42:55
I know you mentioned you're doing this boxing pretty much, but who are you as a person today?
1:42:59
Well, you know, I'm just a chill guy.
1:43:00
You know what I'm saying?
1:43:02
I like to just be chilled.
1:43:05
Would I say I'm family-orientated?
1:43:09
Kind of, yeah.
1:43:09
Obviously, my son, I'm trying to show him that...
1:43:16
You know what I'm saying?
1:43:16
I want him to be in the football world as well.
1:43:18
And because he loves it.
1:43:20
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:43:21
Football is my world.
1:43:24
I can see it's tuned into him and it's built into him.
1:43:27
But family man chilled.
1:43:29
I want to do my academy.
1:43:30
I want to do my podcast.
1:43:32
Like I say, there's other little ventures I want to indulge in, if that makes sense.
1:43:37
Yeah.
1:43:37
Day to day, I just had to keep myself to myself.
1:43:41
I like to be chill.
1:43:43
It's all like no stress, no pressure, no this and that.
1:43:45
I just had to be chilled out, you know what I'm saying?
1:43:49
What's the biggest thing you think people misunderstand about you?
1:43:53
that I'm actually a cool guy.
1:43:55
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:43:56
People probably think, oh, this guy is like a madman.
1:43:58
Like, I've seen articles.
1:43:59
He's a crazy guy.
1:44:01
But when they meet me, they're like, oh, bro, you're actually a cool guy.
1:44:04
Like, do you know what I'm saying?
1:44:05
Like, don't know why people think, I feel like, I thought you were a crazy guy.
1:44:11
Like, I was scared to meet you at the start.
1:44:12
But because you're cool.
1:44:14
Yeah.
1:44:15
So that's what it kind of really is.
1:44:17
I mean, that's something I can vouch for.
1:44:18
I mean, if I'm being completely honest, when I'm sat there doing the prep for this and I'm reading these headlines, I'm like... You think?
1:44:25
You know, this guy.
1:44:26
I've got to watch myself.
1:44:27
Yeah, trust me.
1:44:28
But I don't feel that at all.
1:44:30
Like, you're very easy to talk to.
1:44:32
Do you think other people read these headlines and get nervous around you?
1:44:36
Of course.
1:44:37
That's normal, though, don't you think?
1:44:38
A little bit.
1:44:40
Like, look at all this and that.
1:44:42
But then people got to just take you for you in this life, I feel.
1:44:45
But not everyone's like that.
1:44:47
People might hear that and say, nah, I'm going nowhere near that guy.
1:44:50
Or, nah, bad dick, I don't want to be near that.
1:44:53
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:44:55
And I understand, but that's on them.
1:44:57
How much do other people's opinions matter to you today?
1:45:01
I swear to you, I couldn't give a rat's ass.
1:45:03
That's what I think I keep saying.
1:45:06
Persevering Is it persevering Persevering Yeah like Gradually because I don't care What people think or say I'm just gonna be me That's one thing I Maybe I should have changed I knew I was done some fake To fake it like But I was always just me Like do you know what I'm saying Yeah Myself
1:45:23
Yeah, a lot of players learn how to handle the media and show what...
1:45:27
I didn't get none of that.
1:45:28
I just was like, I'm Niall, I'm going to be Niall.
1:45:30
Yeah.
1:45:31
But Niall, it didn't work out for Niall like that because he just, she didn't have behaviour.
1:45:37
Were you ever media trained?
1:45:39
They tried at Southampton a little bit.
1:45:40
I was so horrid at it.
1:45:42
I remember.
1:45:43
I was horrid.
1:45:43
I was like...
1:45:44
I remember my first interview, Newcastle, I was next to Danny Guthrie.
1:45:48
I got man of the match against Leicester.
1:45:51
And I did an interview and I was like, so now, how do you feel?
1:45:54
How do you feel you played today?
1:45:56
And I was like, yeah, I was just waffling and I was like,
1:46:01
I was like oh do you think we can start again and Danny Goughford just itched his head like oh my gosh he's like you're lucky that it wasn't live like well you can go again and I went again and it was kind of smooth but kind of like now I'm good like do you know what I'm saying but before it was proper raw man did they ever try and keep you away from the media
1:46:22
No No Really you can't The way How I was playing It was going to be hard to Keep me away from the media And the way I was acting That media was always Going to grab hold of me But I needed to get myself ready Internet ready All the time Do you know what I'm saying Yeah man It wasn't Easy But gradually I was like Yeah I'm alright I can do this I can do this I can do this
1:46:45
sort of thing yeah because because you seem very trained yeah no i'm all right i'm all right i'm all right i've got i've had loads of interviews and i've got with it sort of thing but it took a took us it took a bit of time a little bit that comes with age as well i guess age yeah do you know what i'm saying an experience but when it's the cameras in your face like sky sports and you're just like bright light and i'm like
1:47:08
I'm not used to this And I'm like Do you know what I'm saying I was like Can we start again please And he's like Nah You're lucky that We didn't go live But Go on you can start again I had to compose myself Like Do you know what I'm saying Nah I'm alright with it man And given your Football career now And every player You've played with Matt Is there somebody From your football career That you don't speak to now That you'd love to just Sit down with And have a chat with And talk through Certain things that might have happened
1:47:37
There's probably a few, but I probably can't think we're on the spot right now.
1:47:41
There's probably a few.
1:47:42
What would you say to them?
1:47:44
I'd probably say, bro, bro, like, the way my career went was just mad, but I had a blast sort of thing, like, do you know what I'm saying?
1:47:52
Mm-hmm.
1:47:53
I could have done this different.
1:47:54
I could have done that.
1:47:56
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:47:57
But people, some people understand.
1:48:00
You know what I'm saying?
1:48:00
They understand young, fast lane, money's coming to me, just in bulk, it's tough, man.
1:48:09
You know what I'm saying?
1:48:11
Yeah, I bet.
1:48:11
I've got a trivia question for you.
1:48:14
So you played alongside some great players during your career.
1:48:18
Can you name five players?
1:48:20
You made the most appearances alongside during your professional club career.
1:48:24
As in every club?
1:48:26
Every club.
1:48:28
I, every single club?
1:48:31
Every club.
1:48:31
Would it be a goalkeeper?
1:48:36
I can't confirm there's no goalkeeper in this top five.
1:48:39
Okay, cool.
1:48:40
Um, every club.
1:48:44
That's madness.
1:48:45
Um.
1:48:49
And remember, I've come off the bench a few times, so are they on the pitch?
1:48:52
Are they at the same time as me?
1:48:55
I mean, I've just Googled this fact, right?
1:48:58
So I want the way I've done this is I've put the question out there.
1:49:01
I've checked it, checked my end.
1:49:03
Does that mean in the squad I played on the same pitch, same time?
1:49:05
At the same pitch.
1:49:06
So they might have come on on the day and that's an appearance together.
1:49:10
Okay.
1:49:10
I would say I had a lot of appearances at South End.
1:49:20
That's a good question Anthony Wordsworth He's not in the top 5 He's not in the top 5?
1:49:32
No Ben Colco No Any Newcastle players in there?
1:49:36
There are So I'm going to stick to Newcastle then Stick to Newcastle and we'll come back to Jose Enrique Jose Enrique is number 5 With 44 44
1:49:46
Where he is a joint five with another player at 44.
1:49:56
Andy Carroll?
1:49:58
Wow, Andy Carroll.
1:50:02
Coluccini.
1:50:04
Coluccini's number one.
1:50:06
48.
1:50:06
It has to be Coluccini.
1:50:08
48 appearances.
1:50:09
So you can see here, so 48 is number one.
1:50:11
44 is number five.
1:50:14
They're all right now, period.
1:50:18
Midfield.
1:50:21
What player I always played with the other team?
1:50:28
Oh, man.
1:50:29
Tough one.
1:50:31
Let me say... What about...
1:50:37
Kevin Norland.
1:50:38
Kevin Norland's number two.
1:50:39
Kevin.
1:50:40
47.
1:50:40
I ain't got no one, man.
1:50:42
I don't know.
1:50:44
So you've got, I'll give you the positions.
1:50:46
You've got a right back.
1:50:48
Danny Simpson.
1:50:48
Danny Simpson.
1:50:49
Yeah.
1:50:50
44.
1:50:50
Yeah.
1:50:51
And then number three, I believe this is South End.
1:50:53
He did play quite a bit, me and Simo.
1:50:55
Yeah, 44 appearances.
1:50:57
And then South End, I think it's South End, 46 appearances.
1:51:01
I believe he's a centre midfielder.
1:51:04
Like a defensive mid.
1:51:09
Maybe not I said Anthony Wordsworth You said no Maslow Ango No Is it Defi Southend?
1:51:19
I think he is Pritchard Nathan Byrne If it's Southend I'm trying to think Timlin Michael Timlin No I don't know if I'm taking you down the wrong path here I think he's a centre I'm going to give it to you Give it to me It's Ryan Leonard
1:51:34
Yeah, that was half it I should have got that I played with him quite a lot Yeah Miltow and I was doing what?
1:51:41
46 appearances Oh my gosh Defensive midfielder Yeah, he's a baller Yeah A player Good player Good player Serious player Serious player I should have got that, man Yeah Damn Ryan Leonard, the player Yeah, so good players there That you played with Players, man A lot Good players Okay, so I've got another one
1:52:00
Which player was sent off against you?
1:52:02
So they made a foul on you in the Premier League game you played during the season of 2010-2011.
1:52:08
The foul was on you.
1:52:11
That's got to be easy.
1:52:13
Go on.
1:52:14
Arsenal.
1:52:15
Arsenal, yeah.
1:52:15
Kosciani.
1:52:17
That day I went back looking at my phone after that.
1:52:20
I was like, oh my God, I got Kosciani sent off.
1:52:23
up to now I always mention it because my friends are like whatever man you played in Premier League at 1963 it's old news now they have banter I'm like whatever bro you got Kishani sent off before only on FIFA probably I just take the piss in it and you see me I like to have banter like that do you know what I'm saying because they're like bro have you played Premier League in 1963 I was like bro I can play Prem now still that's the confidence I have in it so we always go back and fool for each other but
1:52:48
Yeah, Kishani, innit?
1:52:49
Yeah, no, there's good knowledge you remember.
1:52:51
I could never forget that.
1:52:53
That's that scoring in the Prem or something, getting a player sent off that.
1:52:56
Against your club.
1:52:57
Against my club.
1:52:58
The way I felt after that, I was like...
1:53:00
Oh my gosh, I couldn't wait to get back to my phone and just look at everything.
1:53:03
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:53:04
You know when you support a club and you're against them, do you want to beat them badly?
1:53:08
Yeah, cool.
1:53:09
So they can, I won't ask them to buy me.
1:53:10
That's always the goal.
1:53:12
That was always the goal.
1:53:13
I always wanted to play for Arsenal, but it didn't turn out that way.
1:53:16
But yeah, I done my stuff every time I played them.
1:53:19
Yeah, well that brings me to my next question actually.
1:53:22
So at the start I asked you who inspired you growing up and you said in football it was Ian Wright, Thierry Henry, you've got a goal two for Ian Wright.
1:53:30
Yeah, yeah.
1:53:31
If I ask you that again now, years on, who inspires you now?
1:53:35
I don't really have one now, like that.
1:53:38
For footballers?
1:53:40
What about life?
1:53:42
Life?
1:53:44
There's probably a few in my family, like, do you know what I'm saying?
1:53:47
A few in my family who are on things and they're proper with their business and things, but I just don't really have one like that, I'm honest.
1:53:58
Well, you started speaking to younger people, and I know we've touched upon it a few times in here.
1:54:04
You've got the Nile Ranger Academy now.
1:54:06
Do you ever see parts of your younger self in some of them and you want to try and make a difference?
1:54:11
Yeah, but I've more so wanted, because I've paused the academy thing, and I'm thinking to go straight after my career into agency.
1:54:19
I've got a few players that look up to me, and they're like, what?
1:54:22
They're all calling me unks now.
1:54:23
That's...
1:54:24
Is that a good thing?
1:54:25
Unks status, no, that means it's time to hang on the roots.
1:54:28
They're like, unks, you're unks now, you're not even big bro anymore, you're unks.
1:54:32
But these players look up to me.
1:54:33
If I get into the agency world, they'll sign underneath me, do you know what I'm saying?
1:54:37
So I might just skip the academy thing for a bit and then still do that eventually properly, but get into the football agency and help these kids.
1:54:46
But obviously as a mentor, I can go into schools, academies.
1:54:49
And taught my stuff.
1:54:50
If they listen, they listen.
1:54:51
If they don't, they don't.
1:54:52
But I've lived it.
1:54:53
I've wore the t-shirt.
1:54:54
I've been there.
1:54:54
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:54:56
Well, whether it's an academy or agency, if you saw an unbelievably talented 16-year-old today, it looks like they're going to lose their way.
1:55:05
A guy tried to give them some guidance.
1:55:08
100%.
1:55:09
would you start relaying your own experiences to them?
1:55:11
Yeah, obviously you're straight.
1:55:13
It'll be black and white.
1:55:14
It is what it is.
1:55:15
And a lot of these agents have been in this world.
1:55:17
A lot of these agents say they can do this, do that.
1:55:19
But when it gets...
1:55:21
Dark, it gets dark.
1:55:22
They don't care.
1:55:23
Some of them, they just, they just see you as money, business.
1:55:27
I wouldn't be like that with my players.
1:55:28
I would be more like when things are dark, I'm there.
1:55:31
Like, do you know what I'm saying?
1:55:33
I know how to operate.
1:55:33
I'll be quite good with the agency world.
1:55:36
I think it's just talking to the parents.
1:55:38
They might be like, nah, look how your career's going to do this.
1:55:40
But I say I've played at these levels.
1:55:43
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:55:43
I've been there not for no reason, not by luck.
1:55:46
it's because I was that guy playing football because I had the talent.
1:55:50
And what I've gone through off the field are things.
1:55:52
If I see them swerving or whatever, I'll just show them, listen, you see how my career went.
1:55:56
You need to fix up, sort of thing.
1:56:00
Yeah.
1:56:01
Do you think it's better coming from someone like yourself over someone that's had a real successful...
1:56:04
Most definitely.
1:56:05
...
1:56:06
Most definitely So But obviously You can't force players To sign if you're Under your belt Do you know what I'm saying Yeah But when they get to A certain age They might be like Forget what my parents Are saying Or what I want to sign with Niall Because I know that he knows his stuff And he will want the best of me Yeah
1:56:26
You understand the groups, they're hanging with me.
1:56:28
I understand.
1:56:28
I'll be with it.
1:56:29
I just know when it's down.
1:56:32
I've been injured.
1:56:33
To be fair, my agent was cool like that.
1:56:36
Agents have kind of had to be cool like that to check on me.
1:56:40
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:56:41
It gets cold though and dark when you're injured, you're not in favour or whatever.
1:56:46
And you're just that forgotten man.
1:56:49
You can get like that.
1:56:49
I've seen players I know.
1:56:52
like the agents they've had and it's no good man yeah yeah well no you've lived a lot of life yeah um plenty of the cup yeah you you've you've played in the premier league you represent the england youth level yeah you've experienced highs and and some very difficult times in your life now you've got the opportunity to use all of those experiences to help
1:57:15
somebody coming behind you like you said there one final question is if a young player can learn one thing from your journey what would you want it to be
1:57:26
I always say this, but it has to be discipline.
1:57:29
That's just a major key for me.
1:57:31
If you're disciplined and you've got talent and you're disciplined, when your friends are going out, you're not going out, you're staying in.
1:57:37
I know it might be boring and it might look fun from the outside at that time.
1:57:40
But if you get that discipline in a headlock and lock in with it and lock in, you have a good, sweet career, man.
1:57:47
Do you know what I'm saying?
1:57:49
You have a good career.
1:57:50
Trust me.
1:57:51
No, Ranger.
1:57:52
Thank you very much.
1:57:54
Hold on, man.
1:57:55
My welcome.