BILLY Paynter wants strike partner Simon Cox to reject the overtures of his suitors and stay at the County Ground next season.

A string of clubs including West Brom and Leicester City have been linked with a move for the 21-year-old, but his fellow frontman wants Cox to remain with the Robins next term.

“I’d like to see him stay. I think he’s been a credit to himself and a credit to the team this year,” said Paynter.

“If you keep your top scorer it’s always a good start, because you’ve got goals in the side with him.

“He’s done tremendous for us, so hopefully if he’s here next year it will be a credit to the club to keep him, if the club wants to go forward as well.”

Paynter says Cox is certainly not lacking the belief to fire the goals that will take Town to safety.

The forward was named League One Powerade Player of the Month for March but has failed to net in the last two games.

“If he reaches 30 it’s a personal tally for him and it’s great for him,” said Paynter.

“He’s got the confidence, one or two games without (a goal) won’t faze him.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if he got up to within a couple of goals.”

And Paynter insists the team as a whole are capable of finding the net despite drawing blanks in their previous two fixtures.

He said: “We know that we’ve got goals in our side, but obviously the past couple of games it hasn’t quite fell for us.

“But I think as a team if we keep positive and keep believing we should do the job.”