Billy Paynter

Port Vale

Paynter started his career at Port Vale after being scouted in his native Liverpool at the age of ten. He signed professional forms in 2000, and manager Brian Horton gave Paynter his debut against Walsall at Vale Park on 3 May 2001. At only 16 years and 294 days old, he was the youngest Vale player for twenty years. Horton went on to give the young striker seven further Second Division games in the 2001–02 season. He scored his first senior goal past Notts County on 17 September 2002, making him the club's youngest goalscorer for 24 years. By the end of the season, he had scored five goals in 34 appearances. Still a teenager during the 2003–04 season, he hit 14 goals in 48 games despite being played mostly on the right wing, leaving him second in the club's scoring charts behind the prolific Stephen McPhee. He was rewarded with a long-term contract at the season's end, as well as the club's Young Player of the Year award. He opened the 2004–05 season by being sent off for over celebrating after scoring Vale's first goal in a 3–2 defeat at Walsall on 7 August; he went on to criticize referee Lee Probert for ruining the game with the red card decision. He went on to end the campaign as the club's top-scorer with 13 goals in fifty games; this came despite criticism from some supporters for a mini-goal drought in mid-season. In March, manager Martin Foyle dismissed rumours of Paynter moving to nearby Crewe Alexandra. At the end of the season, fans voted Paynter…

Paynter played for a Football League England U21 team (selected and managed by Peter Taylor) in a game against an Under-21 Italy squad containing players from Serie B side's, a match which took place at the KC Stadium in February 2006. Paynter played as a right-midfielder.

Paynter was appointed as an academy football coach at Everton in February 2018 and also spent six months as a coach at RIASA. He returned to former club Port Vale as the academy's professional development phase lead coach in October 2020. Interim manager Danny Pugh had to start self-isolation after testing positive for COVID-19 on 18 January 2021, leaving Paynter, Frank Sinclair and Anthony Griffith to take over first-team duties in his absence. New manager Darrell Clarke kept Paynter on as an assistant in the first-team. He left the club in May 2022.

Runcorn Linnets

He joined the coaching staff at Northern Premier League Division One West side Runcorn Linnets the following month from his Port Vale departure. On 31 March 2023, Runcorn Linnets sacked manager Dave Wild and appointed Paynter as his replacement. In May 2023, he was given a new two-year contract as manager. He announced his resignation on 3 May 2024 following their play-off semi-final defeat to City of Liverpool. Chairman Peter Cartledge said that "the achievement of finishing second in in[sic] Northern Premier League West Division should not be underestimated or go without high praise".

Connah's Quay Nomads

On 24 August 2024, Paynter was appointed manager of Cymru Premier side Connah's Quay Nomads, following the resignation of previous manager Neil Gibson. Paynter was one of 25 applicants for the role, and was one of six shortlisted for interview. On 13 April 2025, he was sacked after the…

Paynter was born in the Norris Green area of Liverpool, moving to Litherland during his early childhood, and is a keen fan of boxing.