The 18-year-old didn't score, but his energy and enthusiasm lifted many games out of the clarts, and he was a joy to watch.
However, Marlon Harewood's arrival on loan has restricted his appearances as Chris Hughton has gone with the big powerful 'battering ram' strikers (Harewood and Andy Carroll) and opted for the 'long ball' game.
It wouldn't be so bad if it WORKED! But we've struggled to get results, while the fans have to sit and watch this shit for a month ... hoping the penny would drop with the Toon manager.
Hughton: "What we have is Nile, who I've consistently said is a young player.
"And he'll certainly get games and minutes this season – there's no doubt about that.
"Is he capable of starting? Of course, because he's in the squad. We've chosen on more occasions than not to use him as a sub, because he can impact upon a game.
"He's a lad you like to think is learning as each game goes by."
The United's caretaker boss has a decision to make for Saturday's home game against Doncaster Rovers, with Harewood, disappointing so far for Newcastle, and Ranger hoping for recalls to his team.
NEWCASTLE UNITED 2009/10
SHAMROCK ROVERS 0 NEWCASTLE UTD 3 (S Taylor, Ameobi, Ranger)
Steve Harper, Habib Beye, Callum Morris, Fabricio Coloccini, Tamas Kadar, Wesley Ngo Baheng, Nicky Butt, Joey Barton, Damien Duff, Kevin Nolan, Nile Ranger
Subs: Jose Enrique, Danny Guthrie, Ryan Taylor, Alan Smith, Shola Ameobi, Steven Taylor, Frank Wiafe Danquah, Ole Soderberg, Ben Tozer, Kazenga LuaLua, Tim Krul, Ryan Donaldson
DARLINGTON 2 NEWCASTLE UTD 7 (Duff, Nolan, Gutierrez, S Taylor, Carroll, Ameobi 2)
Krul (Forster, 46); R Taylor, Beye (Coloccini, 46), S Taylor, Kadar (Enrique, 46); LuaLua (Guthrie, 46), Barton (Butt, 46), Nolan (Xisco, 59), Smith (Donaldson, 59), Duff (Gutierrez, 46); Ameobi (Carroll, 46).
HUDDERSFIELD 0 NEWCASTLE UTD 1 (Nolan)
Harper, Coloccini, Enrique (Donaldson 80), Barton (Smith 58), Guthrie (Tavernier 80), Gutierrez (Duff HT), Xisco (Ameobi HT), Beye (Kadar HT), Taylor S (Taylor R HT), Lua-Lua (Adjei 73), Carroll (Nolan 58).
ORIENT 6 NEWCASTLE UTD 1 (Barton pen)
Krul (Forster, 46); Beye (Tozer, 80), S Taylor (Lough, 80), Coloccini (Geremi, 46), Enrique (Kadar, 73); Gutierrez, Barton (Xisco, 46), Smith (Guthrie, 60), Duff (LuaLua, 73); Nolan; Martins (Carroll, 46).
NEWCASTLE UTD 0 LEEDS UTD 0
Harper, Beye, Bassong, S Taylor, Enrique, R Taylor, Smith, Barton, Gutierrez, Ameobi, Carroll Subs: Coloccini, Nolan, Xisco, LuaLua, Krul, Donaldson
DUNDEE UTD 1 NEWCASTLE UTD 1 (Carroll)
Harper; R Taylor, S Taylor, Kadar, Enrique; Gutierrez, Barton (LuaLua, 75), Smith, Duff (Geremi, 88); Nolan; Carroll.
WEST BROM 1 NEWCASTLE UTD 1 (Duff)
Harper (Krul 46), Ryan Taylor, Steven Taylor,Coloccini, Jose Enrique, Gutierrez, Smith, Nolan, Duff,Ameobi (Ranger 90), Carroll (Barton 75).
Subs Not Used: Xisco, Geremi, LuaLua, Kadar.
NEWCASTLE UTD 3 READING 0 (Ameobi 3, 1 pen)
Ryan Taylor, Steven Taylor, Coloccini,Jose Enrique, Nolan, Barton (LuaLua 82), Smith (Geremi 78),Gutierrez, Ameobi (Xisco 77), Carroll.
Subs Not Used: Krul, Kadar, Ranger, Donaldson.
NEWCASTLE 1 SHEFF WED 0 (Ameobi)
Harper, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini,Jose Enrique, Ryan Taylor (Guthrie 89), Nolan, Smith,Gutierrez, Ameobi (Ranger 87), Carroll (Xisco 58).
Subs Not Used: Krul, Geremi, LuaLua, Kadar.
CRYSTAL PALACE 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Nolan, R Taylor)
Harper, Simpson, Coloccini, Steven Taylor,Jose Enrique, Ryan Taylor (Butt 65), Nolan, Smith,Gutierrez (Geremi 89), Guthrie (Ranger 66), Ameobi.
Subs Not Used: Krul, Xisco, LuaLua, Kadar.
NEWCASTLE 4 HUDDERSFIELD 3 (Guthrie, Geremi, Ameobi (pen), Nolan) CARLING CUP
Krul, Simpson, Geremi, Kadar, Jose Enrique, Ryan Taylor, Guthrie, Butt (Ameobi 46), LuaLua (Gutierrez 65), Nolan, Ranger, Ameobi (Vuckic 90).
Subs not used: Harper, Smith, Tozer, Donaldson.
NEWCASTLE 1 LEICESTER 0 (Guthrie)
Harper, Ryan Taylor, Steven Taylor, Simpson,Jose Enrique, Geremi, Barton (Kadar 89), Nolan,Guthrie (Donaldson 85), Smith, Ranger (Vuckic 85).
Subs Not Used: Krul, LuaLua, Ngo Baheng, Tozer.
CARDIFF CITY 0 NEWCASTLE 1 (Coloccini)
Harper, Simpson, Coloccini, Steven Taylor, Jose Enrique, Guthrie (Lovenkrands 61), Barton (Geremi 86), Smith, Ryan Taylor (Butt 76), Nolan, Ranger.
Subs Not Used: Krul, LuaLua, Kadar, Donaldson.
BLACKPOOL 2 NEWCASTLE 1 (Carroll)
Harper, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini,Jose Enrique, Ryan Taylor (Geremi 66), Butt, Nolan,Barton (Ranger 83), Carroll, Guthrie (Lovenkrands 66).
Subs Not Used: Krul, LuaLua, Kadar, Donaldson.
NEWCASTLE 3 PLYMOUTH 1 (S Taylor, Nolan, Carroll)
Harper, Simpson (Ryan Taylor 30), Steven Taylor,Coloccini, Jose Enrique, Geremi, Barton (Guthrie 59), Smith,Lovenkrands (Ranger 59), Nolan, Carroll.
Subs Not Used: Krul, Khizanishvili, Butt, LuaLua.
(Carling Cup) PETERBOROUGH 2 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Tavernier, Steven Taylor, Tozer, Ryan Taylor,LuaLua (Smith 59), Guthrie, Donaldson (Geremi 60), Lovenkrands,Ranger, Vuckic (Nolan 60).
Subs Not Used: Soderberg, Ngo Baheng, Shane Ferguson, Inman.
IPSWICH 0 NEWCASTLE 4 (Nolan 3, Ryan Taylor)
Harper, Steven Taylor, Khizanishvili,Coloccini (Lovenkrands 68), Jose Enrique, Smith, Nolan, Butt,Ryan Taylor (Donaldson 78), Carroll, Ranger (Harewood 65).
Subs Not Used: Krul, Ngo Baheng, Tozer, Vuckic.
NEWCASTLE 1 QPR 1 (Harewood)
Harper; Simpson, S Taylor, Khizanishvili, Enrique; Guthrie (Lovenkrands, 88), Smith, Nolan, Butt (Gutierrez, 46); Ranger (Harewood, 61), Carroll.
Subs not used: Krul, Kadar, Donaldson, Geremi.
NEWCASTLE 0 BRISTOL CITY 0
Harper, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Khizanishvili,Ryan Taylor, Guthrie (Ranger 85), Smith, Nolan,Gutierrez (Carroll 65), Harewood, Lovenkrands.
Subs Not Used: Krul, Geremi, Butt, Kadar, Donaldson.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Harper, Ryan Taylor, Simpson, Khizanishvili, Jose Enrique, Guthrie, Nolan, Smith, Lovenkrands (Gutierrez 61), Harewood (Ranger 83), Carroll.
Subs Not Used: Krul, Geremi, Butt, Kadar, Donaldson.
SCUNTHORPE 2 NEWCASTLE 1 (Nolan)
Harper, Ryan Taylor, Khizanishvili, Simpson, Jose Enrique, Guthrie (Ranger 86), Geremi (Harewood 61), Smith, Gutierrez, Nolan, Carroll.
Subs Not Used: Krul, Tozer, Kadar, Lovenkrands, Donaldson.