We’ve not got rid of him just yet, but Billy Paynter is now on a week’s trial at Blackpool, as the seasiders decide whether to make a formal bid for his services. If it doesn’t work out at Bloomfield Road then Doncaster Rovers and Notts County are waiting in the wings.

Don’t laugh, but having signed four players already during the close season, a prolific goalscorer is now Ian Holloway’s top priority. So Paynter started training with Blackpool yesterday and they will now have to assess whether he will fit into their system.

28-year-old Paynter came to Leeds after scoring 26 goals for Swindon during the 2009/10 season, with four of them coming against us in two forgettable 3-0 defeats we suffered against the Robins. But if it was his performances in those two games that prompted Simon Grayson to sign him, our former boss was to be sorely disappointed at the way things turned out once  Billy had arrived at Elland Road.

In two seasons he managed only 3 goals in 27 appearances, although some of those appearances were brief cameos from the substitutes’ bench. Paynter is blaming a lot of his problems at Leeds on injuries, but even when he was fit it was hard for him to get a game, with Becchio, and Mc.Cormack being the preferred option up front.

Ironically, one game when he did manage to get on was at Blackpool at the end of last season, but Holloway hasn’t been put off by the mocking “if Billy scores we’re in the sea” chant that came from the Leeds end that night. Paynter had a spell on loan to Brighton last season (so may have a taste for the seaside) and in May he was included on the very lengthy list of players who Neil Warnock decided to clear out in order to rebuild the squad.

For his own part, Paynter has made no secret of wanting to end his frustrating time at Leeds. So has he just been held back by injuries, or is the truth that he’s not good enough for the Championship. I reckon it’s the latter, but I can just see him coming back to Elland Road to score a last minute winner for Blackpool in a vital game some time soon!

Photo: Action Images

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