Friday 11 August 2017 16:35, UK
Nile Ranger has been released from Pentonville Prison and allowed to resume training with Southend United.
The Shrimpers striker was jailed for eight months in May after admitting online banking fraud and was released on Friday morning after serving just over 10 weeks.
Ranger was jailed after his first season with the League One side, for whom he played 25 times and scored eight goals.
A Southend statement on Friday afternoon read: "Nile Ranger was this morning released from Pentonville Prison after serving a little over 10 weeks.
"Nile was eligible for early release under the HDC (Home Detention Curfew) Scheme, due to the short duration of his sentence and his consistently excellent custodial behaviour.
"Nile may regard himself as fortunate but will remain under an evening home curfew for the next five to six weeks.
However, this will enable him to resume training immediately and Nile Ranger is today undergoing a fitness test and assessment that will help steer his training regime over the next seven to 10 days before he re-joins the squad."
