After ending an apprenticeship with Cardiff City, Compton joined Trowbridge Town in 1978, moving to AFC Bournemouth in October 1980 for a fee of £10,000.
The expected push for promotion did not materialise and Torquay found themselves in a relegation battle, which, only after Neil Warnock was brought in and Compton had reverted to his old youth coach role, they survived.
He later became assistant manager under Eddie May in 1995, but left the club altogether the following summer when May was replaced by Kevin Hodges, who opted to dispense with Compton's services.
With Swansea in the midst of a serious financial crisis, Compton, along with the Swans management team of Colin Addison and Peter Nicholas, was made redundant, the Welsh side no longer able to pay his wages.
Immediately upon appointment, however, he took control of first team affairs whilst Director of Football Shaun Brooks took time off due to ill health.