text: Blackpool striker Nile Ranger has accused the club of 'taking the mick' out of him by giving him such a low-paid contract that it left him wondering how he would fill his fridge with food. The former Newcastle forward has not featured for the Seasiders since the end of November after making 14 appearances for the club in the first months of the season. has been AWOL since December. Ranger has been AWOL since returning to London after being left out of the squad to face Birmingham in early December, and the controversial striker has spoken for the first time about his struggles at Blackpool. Former Newcastle striker Nile Ranger joined Blackpool at the start of the season on a one-year deal . Ranger has been AWOL since early in December and says the club took the mick with his contract . 'I'm not on a lot of money there to be honest, they really took the mick,' Ranger was quoted as saying in the Blackpool Gazette. 'They put me on minimum wage and pay as you play. 'I was supposed to go to Leeds but it fell through so I went to Blackpool as a platform and just took whatever deal. I wasn't getting in squads and I was asking how am I supposed to fill my fridge if I'm not playing?' 'I thought I should have been playing. People who don't know the situation will be thinking, "oh, he's AWOL again". 'There are certain situations going on which no-one knows about. It just didn't work out. With the manager and stuff things just weren't clicking. Ranger spent four years at Newcastle between 2009-2013 but his time was littered with disciplinary incidents . Ranger arrives at court to be sentenced after being charged with common assault in 2013 . 'The manager is a good guy and things and everyone was nice but it was just the way they handled the deal, it was a bit off.' The 24-year-old's career has been littered with numerous disciplinary issues that has seen his two previous clubs Swindon and Newcastle terminate his contract. But Ranger wants to start a fresh next season after his one-year deal with Blackpool ends in the summer. 'I want to start a fresh again next season,' he said. 'There will be plenty of opportunities for me, people think my chances have run out. But there will be plenty of things for me in the future.'
target: Nile Ranger has been AWOL from Blackpool since early December .
  The striker has not played for the club since the end of November .
  Ranger's Blackpool deal expires at the end of this season .
  Former Newcastle forward say the club took the mick out of him .