Former Newcastle United striker Nile Ranger has left supporters furious after apparently trying to sell 100 tickets for Sunday's Carabao Cup final for more than £2,500 each.
The controversial 31-year-old, who has been without a club since leaving non-League Boreham Wood last year, posted a message on his Twitter and Instagram pages claiming that he had tickets for several sections of Wembley Stadium via an unnamed third party.
According to Ranger a seat in Newcastle areas would cost £2,500 behind the goal with club level tickets going for £3,750. Ranger also said that he had Manchester United tickets for sale - priced between £1,500 and £2,000 in addition to some VIP tickets for £7,000.
He wrote: "Tickets are available through a trusted marketplace, which guarantees all tickets. Prices are above face value and the company is not affiliated with the football clubs or Wembley directly. Customers will be paying the company direct."
Ranger, who played for Newcastle between 2009 and 2013, has been widely criticised for the post ahead of the Magpies’ first Cup final since losing to Sunday’s opponents in May 1999. They last won a major trophy in 1955 and demand for tickets is unsurprisingly sky high.
In a follow up tweet Ranger said in response to those criticising him: “You are worried about reselling tickets. Go help victims of syria and turkey HOW ABOUT THAT.”
One Newcastle fan said that he informed Club Wembley over Ranger's attempts to sell the tickets.
"I wouldn’t ever normally do something like this but I have reported Nile Ranger directly to Club Wembley," the fan wrote, attaching a screenshot of his direct message to the operators of the stadium's premium seating areas.
"It’s disgusting to see a former Newcastle United with a history of online banking fraud trying to profit off the fans."
Club Wembley have said that they are investigating.
Ranger failed to make a lasting impact during his time at St James' Park, scoring twice in 51 appearances, before falling down the leagues. He has also been in trouble off the pitch on more than one occasion.
As a 15-year-old he was handed an 11-week prison sentence for his role in an armed robbery. In 2012 he was found guilty of assaulting two police officers and he was given an eight-month sentence for conspiracy to defraud.
Two of his other former clubs, Swindon Town and Southend United, suspended him for misconduct.
