When John McCombe pulled on a Huddersfield Town shirt at just 10 years old, he thought he’d made it. The dream was real. A career in professional football. Stadium lights and the roar of thousands.
But the day that defined him came years later, far from the pitch. After deep personal loss, burnout, and the realisation that success means nothing if you’re not living the life you want.
Today, the dad of two helps people build a life that works for them, not against them.
John grew up in the former mining village of South Elmsall, Wakefield, developing a strong sense of community and the value of hard work in a tight-knit family. His dad, Paul, fixes factory sewing machines in Leeds, and for over 30 years, his mum, Jackie, was head cook in a local nursing home.
“They taught me to work hard and look out for people,” John said. “That’s never left me.”
At age 10, John signed for Huddersfield Town, debuting at 17 years old, before playing for Hereford United, Port Vale, Mansfield, York City, Macclesfield, Chester, Harrogate Town, and Hyde United.
In 2014, alongside his then business partner, football manager and former professional player David McGurk, John also co-founded Pro Player Football Academy. One of the first of its kind, it bridged the gap between grassroots football and professional academies. The academy thrived, even franchising, before John and David sold the business last year.
“Football gave me the adrenaline,” said John. “The academy felt safe and comfortable. It showed me that resilience and determination can build a business with value. One that I could successfully exit.”
Those lessons proved vital when John faced the toughest chapter of his life.
In 2020, John’s world stopped when his mum was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer and died just two weeks later. At the same time, his dad faced life-saving lung surgery. And football, the game that was so much a part of John’s life, came to a standstill as the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
“I lost my mum and the sport I loved,” said John. “I couldn’t afford to lose my dad as well. It made me realise life’s too short to spend it on things that don’t make you happy.”
When the world fell silent in lockdown, John channelled his grief into action.
In the early hours, as he delivered groceries through the silent, sleepy streets of Leeds for sustainable delivery company The Modern Milkman, a new idea began to take shape.
Spotting a gap in the soaring demand for home delivery, John and his brother, former professional footballer Jamie, of Harrogate, launched Yorkshire-based logistics firm JPM Logistics.
Starting with just one van and nine customers on their first night, they grew to 60 vans across Yorkshire and the Northeast, turning over £2.2 million before selling the business in 2022.
But the pace took its toll. “I’d missed weddings and birthdays during my football career. I no longer wanted to miss my daughters’ school drop-offs, plays, and childhood moments. The demand for home delivery had soared, but I was exhausted.
“I needed a life we could enjoy as a family, not one dictated by work.”
No matter the setback, John has never stood still, always looking for opportunities while holding on to the family values that shaped him.
“Each chapter taught me something new. How to build, how to lead, and how to help others succeed.”
Today, John runs McCombe & Co Financial Planning, a partner practice of St James’s Place, the UK’s largest wealth management company.
Based in West Yorkshire, he works with business owners, professionals and families, helping them plan not just for their money, but for the life they want to live. Unlike many advisors who focus mainly on products and pensions, John uses his personal experience in building and selling businesses to help his clients, especially fellow business owners.
His approach combines financial planning with education, helping people understand behaviours around money, building better financial habits, and changing perceptions of what financial advice really means.
“It’s not just about investments or retirement pots,” John explained. “It’s about making sure the right money is in the right place at the right time. True financial planning is about relationships, understanding people, and coaching them to make good decisions for the long term.”
As a dad, John understands the pressures of balancing work, family, and financial responsibilities. That’s why his first step is always giving people the chance to talk openly about their goals before making any decisions.
And he hopes to inspire the next generation, encouraging young people to see financial planning as a way of creating freedom and opportunity, not restriction.
“Football taught me discipline, business taught me resilience, and losing my mum and nearly my dad taught me what really matters in life,” said John. “Now I help people plan for a future they’re excited about, not just one they can or can’t afford.”
Images Supplied by Paul Swift Photography.