BILLY PAYNTER wants to reignite his career – and believes that under Ronnie Moore at Hartlepool United is the perfect place to do just that.

Paynter, 30, fell out with Carlisle manager Keith Curle last season and was forced to train on his own, and was fined by the club for allegedly missing a training session.

His Brunton Park nightmare was brought to an end last week as Moore made Paynter, the former Swindon Town and Leeds United striker, his seventh signing of the close season, and the Scouser is looking forward to a fresh start at Victoria Park.

“I couldn’t see myself going anywhere at Carlisle, with what happened last year, I did need a fresh start, and as soon as I spoke to the gaffer and Sam Collins it was a challenge that I needed and wanted,” said Paynter.

“It was a case of them playing games to try to get me out and make me feel uncomfortable. There were times when he was getting offers for loans and he was turning them down. I don’t really understand that. You want someone out the club, you’re getting offers for them, let them go.

“It’s a fresh start for myself, a fresh challenge and one that I’m really looking forward to.

“I’ve watched a lot of games, it’s not nice watching games. As a player you want to be out there helping your teammates and I didn’t get an opportunity to do that.

“It was frustrating, it was difficult at times, my family helped me through it. That’s in the past now, I just want to concentrate on my football and move forward.

“I’ve had a bad stint in my career and I’m coming here to reignite myself. I know what the gaffer is like, he’ll be honest and he’ll tell me how it is. I’d rather that.”

Paynter was attracted to Pools after Moore’s side visited Brunton Park on the final game of the season, where the away fans were dressed in Rastafarian costumes and Moore wore a dreadlock wig in keeping with the theme.

As well as that, former Pools midfielder was warmly welcomed by the travelling support, which gave Paynter food for thought.

On Moore, Paynter said: “He’s a fellow Scouser as well, so that helps. Also, I played with Sam Collins, while Sweens told me about the club. I was pleased with the ovation Sweens got, that encouraged me to come here and play.

“The gaffer likes to tell it how it is, you want that as a player. If you’re not doing the job you want to be told, if not, you’ll find yourself off the team.”

Paynter told Carlisle’s News and Star yesterday: “It sort of started with a time when I wasn’t allowed to warm up with the lads. I had to come out 15 minutes after them, then warm up on the side of the pitch. He [Curle] started singling me out then. Later it would be 20 minutes, by which time the lads were already flowing. So I couldn’t interact with my team-mates.

“It came to a point where I started thinking to myself, ‘What’s the point of all this?’ I left school 15 years ago – what is the point of being treated like a kid when I’m a grown man, and I can’t basically say to someone, ‘I need to go and get my kids’?

“What was going on nearly cost me my family. I thought I was going to lose them, because I was taking all this home, and that’s wrong to do.

“I broke down in [Curle’s] office in front of [assistant boss] Colin West and Lee Fearn. I felt it was a choice now. I was asking myself is it worth it? I thought about chucking it in – walking away from the game I love. If it came to it I would rather choose my family.”