Paul Comstive

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Paul Comstive
Personal information
Full name Paul Thomas Comstive
Date of birth (1961-11-25)25 November 1961
Place of birth Southport, England
Date of death 29 December 2013(2013-12-29) (aged 52)
Place of death Southport, England
Position(s) Midfielder/Full-back
Youth career
1978–1979 Blackburn Rovers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1979–1983 Blackburn Rovers 6 (0)
1982Rochdale (loan) 6 (2)
1983Rochdale (loan) 3 (0)
1983–1984 Wigan Athletic 35 (2)
1984–1987 Wrexham 99 (8)
1987–1989 Burnley 82 (17)
1989–1991 Bolton Wanderers 49 (3)
1991–1993 Chester City 57 (6)
1993–1995 Southport 61 (11)
1995–1996 Morecambe 28 (1)
1996–199? Chorley
Total 426 (58)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Paul Comstive (25 November 1961 – 29 December 2013) was an English professional footballer who mainly played as a midfielder. He played in the Football League for seven different clubs and also played non-league football.

Playing career[edit]

Born in Southport, Comstive was to spend the vast majority of his career in the north-west of England, beginning as an apprentice at Blackburn Rovers in October 1979. He went on to make six league appearances for Rovers, with two loan spells with Rochdale following before a move to Wigan Athletic in August 1983.

After a three-year stint with Wrexham from 1984 to 1987, Comstive made an £8,000 switch to Burnley.[1] This spell saw him play at Wembley Stadium in the 1988 Associate Members' Cup Final against Wolverhampton Wanderers.[2]

Comstive moved on again in 1989 to Bolton Wanderers for £37,000,[1] with his two seasons at Burnden Park ending in losses in the Third Division play–offs. Two of the three goals he scored for Bolton came direct from corner kicks in the 4–1 home win against Bournemouth in January 1991. Later that year he was to help Wanderers towards the divisional Play-offs where they eventually lost out to Tranmere Rovers at Wembley Stadium. In November 1991 Comstive moved to Chester City for £10,000.[3] He scored in the first Football League match at the Deva Stadium between Chester and Burnley on 5 September 1992 but was released at the end of the 1992–93 season. Many of his appearances for Chester came at full-back.[4]

This marked the end of Comstive's professional career. He joined hometown club Southport and went on to play for fellow non-league clubs Morecambe and Chorley.[5] Comstive had a short spell on the coaching staff at Southport[6] and also worked for Burscough.[7] He later worked at Fleetwood Hesketh FC and at Royal Mail as a postman.[citation needed]

On 29 December 2013, he died suddenly following a heart attack.[8][9][10][11]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Burnley career profile". www.claretsmad.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 October 2007. Retrieved 30 January 2008.
  2. ^ "The 1988 Sherpa Van Trophy Final". The Wolves Site. Archived from the original on 22 November 2008. Retrieved 30 January 2008.
  3. ^ Chas Sumner (1997). On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City 1885–1997. p. 110. ISBN 1-874427-52-6.
  4. ^ Chas Sumner (1997). On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City 1885–1997. pp. stats section. ISBN 1-874427-52-6.
  5. ^ "Lean spell continues for Shrimps". Lancashire Telegraph. 21 March 1996. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2008.
  6. ^ "Turf Moor Notebook". Lancashire Telegraph. 27 November 1999. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2008.
  7. ^ "New Reserve Team Coach". Burscough FC. Retrieved 30 January 2008.
  8. ^ "Paul Comstive RIP". Southport Football Club. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  9. ^ "Ex-Bolton Wanderers midfielder Paul Comstive dies, aged 52". The Bolton News. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  10. ^ "Club Statement: Paul Comstive". Bolton Wanderers FC. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  11. ^ "Paul Comstive". Blackburn Rovers FC. Retrieved 30 December 2013.

External links[edit]