Nile Ranger has claimed he and Andros Townsend were involved in a heated altercation while representing England as youngsters on international duty.Despite never representing the Three Lions at senior level, Ranger scored six goals in 11 appearances for England’s U19s after bursting on to the scene as a teenager.The former Newcastle prodigy, 35, revealed on a podcast this week that he once clashed with fellow ex-England youth star Townsend while the pair were sharing a room in Ukraine on international duty.’He wasn’t playing and getting in the team at the time, but he’s a man where he’s stretching at night time and keeping himself ready,’ Ranger told Undr the Cosh.’I’ve played but I didn’t play the best. And I’m like to Andros, “Look, just go to sleep man, just relax. You’re stretching and doing all of this but your chance will come”. I’m actually genuinely telling him that, I’m being real.’He’s like, “You what? Did you see how you played today? You had a stinker, I don’t want to play like that. I’ve got to make sure I’m stretched out and ready”. Ex-Newcastle star Nile Ranger (left) has claimed he and Andros Townsend (right) were involved in a heated altercation while representing England as youngsters on international duty The forward was once regarded as one of Newcastle’s brightest prospects as a teenager’I don’t know why he was coming at me. Take your anger out on someone else bro because I’m not the one. I’ll just knock you out and then it’s just long (not worth it).’Anyway, we go down for food the next day and, you remember those old-school blue Lucozade bottles with the yellow top, he’s drinking from it and he’s spitting in my pasta. I’m looking around at players and being like – are you witnessing this as well? This is crazy antics right now.’Continuing the anecdote, Ranger claims he and Townsend went upstairs and started brawling, surrounded by team-mates including former England international Kyle Walker.’I can see Andros there, I’m on to Andros, and I’ve just crashed him,’ Ranger added, making a punching gesture. ‘His head hits the bin and man are trying to stop me, Kyle Walker trying to stop me, but the rage inside is just going mad, going berserk.’We got split up, he’s gone to his room. I don’t know if the coaches found out about it but I’ve gone back later and he’s like, “Look, let me stop you, I’m sorry. I think just being out here is getting to me and what not”.’I know how it feels. It’s like when you get an injury or something and you’re not playing. Or you feel like you can play and aren’t getting the chance. It was just anger built up, that sort of thing.’ After off-field issues derailed his career, he ended up playing for a string of non league clubsOnce regarded as one of Newcastle’s brightest young prospects, Ranger’s off-field behaviour repeatedly overshadowed and ultimately derailed his career.As a teenager, he spent time in a young offenders’ institution following an armed robbery, and his early professional years were subsequently punctuated by disciplinary problems and run-ins with the law. After Newcastle opted not to renew his contract in 2013 after a string of off-pitch controversies, Ranger moved to Swindon Town before spells at Blackpool and Southend United.He took a two-year break from football in 2018 following further run-ins with the law. Since returning in 2020, he has bounced between several non-league clubs, starting with Spalding United before brief spells at Southend, Boreham Wood, Kettering Town, Wellingborough Town and Chatham Town. Once again a free agent this summer, the striker left Chatham Town at the end of last season after scoring six goals in 14 appearances for the club.Ranger has also spoken openly in the past about his struggles with gambling addiction. In a 2023 interview, he claimed that, had he behaved better off the pitch and maintained a healthier lifestyle, he could have been as prolific as Manchester City’s goal machine Erling Haaland.