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Nile Ranger posted a picture of a Southend shirt with his name and number on the back on social media on Tuesday before confirmation of his signing

Striker Nile Ranger has joined Southend United on a one-year-contract, with the option of a further year.

The 25-year-old former Newcastle, Swindon and Blackpool forward has been training with the League One side during pre-season.

He has not played a competitive game since November 2014, before he spent seven months absent from Blackpool.

Ranger later put that down to the death of two friends and left the Tangerines in February.

Nile Ranger made 50 of his 62 Newcastle appearances off the bench, scoring three times

Southend manager Phil Brown said in July that Ranger, fined for criminal damage in July 2014, was in the "last-chance saloon" during a one-month "test period" at Roots Hall.

Upon confirmation of the signing, Brown told the club website: external-link "There's two or three reasons why we've chosen to extend Nile's deal.

"First and foremost there is a footballer in there which we identified at the start and that's the reason he came through the door on trial.

"Secondly we have a contract that safeguards us as a football club, but also safeguards Nile if he keeps his nose clean and performs well on the pitch.

"But the bottom line is, he's come in as an option up front which is totally different from what we've got at this moment in time in terms of playing style."

With the new season starting on Saturday, Ranger has bolstered a side that has only three other first-team forwards - David Mooney, Simon Cox and Jason Williams.

Ranger has scored 17 goals in 127 league matches during his career.

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