6'0"  12st.12lb.
b. Southport  25 November 1961
d. Southport 29 December 2013

 

Debut  7 October 1980 (18y 316d) Final Game 15 January 1983 (21y 51d)
CAREER: Bury Road JS;Stanley HS;Plymouth Argyle (ass sc);Blackpool (trial);Chorley FC Youth;Blackburn Rovers Dec'78 (non con)Oct'79;Rochdale Sep'82 (loan)[9-2]; Feb'83 (loan);Wigan Athletic Aug'83 (free)[35-2];Wrexham                           Nov'84 (free)[95+4-8]; Burnley Aug'87 (£8,000)[81+1-17];Bolton Wanderers Sep'89 (£37,500)[42+7-3];                         Chester City Nov'91 (£10,000)[55+2-6];Southport  (p-c) Aug'93;Morecambe Mar'95;Chorley Mar'96;                     Congleton Town Feb’04.
HONOURS Ass MC los (Burnley) ’88.Welsh Cp win’86 (Wrexham)
 

FL         3 + 3 apps  + 106m      12 ns
FLC                                                1 ns
Total   3 + 3 apps   + 106m      13 ns
LC       1 app                                 4 ns                      
FAYC  2 apps
 

Comstive was living testament to perseverance. Spotted at an early age by Plymouth's northern scout, Tony Waiters, he was not offered terms and had an unsuccessful trial at Blackpool. At the time he was playing on the left wing but his qualities of superb physique, industry and determination did not wholly ally themselves to the position. Trying to break into the game through the Chorley youth team he had a fortunate break when the Rovers chief scout, Fred O'Donoghue, made an unscheduled call at Eccleston. The resulting trial with the Rovers went well until it was found he was too old  for a traineeship so he was given non contract terms and later when converted to left back, signed a professional contract. Used occasionally by the Rovers he was loaned out and in doing so caught the eye of Wrexham, where he went on to gain a Welsh Cup winners' medal and played in European competition. From then on he found a succession of clubs who liked his tough tackling and fearsome dead ball shooting. Returning to the non- league he helped coach Southport to the Vauxhall Conference and settling back in his home town found work as a delivery officer for the Royal Mail. He had a spell as temporary manager at Southport in 1999 and was reserve team coach at Burscough in 2004. He then became the manager of Fleetwood Hesketh. His last connection with the game was when he performed remedial work to Southport’s ground in Haig Avenue, shortly before his sudden death following a heart attack.