BILLY Paynter has stepped down as manager of Runcorn Linnets following their play-off semi-final defeat by City of Liverpool.
The former Swindon Town and Doncaster Rovers player led the Linnets to two successive playoff campaigns, plus a Cheshire Senior Cup and Liverpool Senior final.
But after being denied promotion from NPL West despite a second-place finish, Paynter, 39, said: “Finishing second giving Runcorn Linnets their highest finish in years was a great achievement and success by all but a few days later to lose our play-off game was then a season failure.
“And...