Skip to content

Paynter to sign for Doncaster

Image: Billy Paynter: The striker hopes to end his Elland Road nightmare by dropping down a division to Doncaster Rovers

Billy Paynter is close to completing his move to Doncaster Rovers according to Leeds boss Neil Warnock.

Cranie could be joining striker out of the Elland Road door

Billy Paynter is close to completing his move to Doncaster Rovers according to Leeds boss Neil Warnock. The 28-year-old has spent the summer looking for a new club after being placed on the transfer list by Warnock at the end of last season. His time at Elland Road has been dogged with injuries and he has scored just three goals in 27 league appearances since his move from Swindon two years ago. The striker spent three months on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion last season in a bid to get some much needed first team football and left Leeds' pre-season training camp early to try and earn a deal at Blackpool on a trial. But Paynter failed to impress at Bloomfield Road and headed to Doncaster where he is poised to sign a new contract on Monday. "He is going there today," said Warnock. "We have had one or two other enquiries but there are not any more we want to move on." Another player who could be joining him on the way out of Elland Road is trialist Martin Cranie who has yet to be offered a contract and is still on the lookout for a club. The 25-year-old defender has been a free agent after his deal at Coventry ran out at the end of last season and has featured in a number of pre-season games for the club this summer. But his future at Leeds is in doubt after he declined to play for Warnock in their friendly match at Preston at the weekend over concerns he might get injured before holding another round of talks with the club. "In fairness to him he can't afford to get injured in a game like that. I understood his reasoning," said Warnock. "It was his decision and I respected that. "He didn't want to risk getting injured so close to the start of the season and I couldn't guarantee him a contract."

Around Sky