Painter was just 16 when he made his
Football League debut as a substitute for
Chester City at
Bristol City on 21 November 1987. Although he appeared again from the bench a fortnight later against
Doncaster Rovers, Painter then had to wait more than a year for his next first-team action. He began to play regularly towards the end of the
1988–89 season, alongside fellow homegrown youngsters
Aidan Newhouse,
Chris Lightfoot and
Colin Woodthorpe. He remained involved in first-team duties for the next two years but at the end of the
1990–91 season he opted to join
Fourth Division club
Maidstone United for an initial £30,000 along with teammate
Neil Ellis. After less than a year at Maidstone, Painter returned north by joining
Burnley for £25,000, helping them clinch the
Fourth Division title. He holds the honour of scoring the division's last goal before the leagues were rebranded. A year later he moved on again to
Darlington in another £25,000 deal. He has since played for non-league sides
Gateshead,
Bradford (Park Avenue),
Ossett Town,
Emley ==Honours==