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Joe Mercer

Everton FC

5 appearances, 0 goals

P 5 W 3 D 1 L 1 F 14: A 5
70% successful

1938-39

captain: none
minutes played:
450

Profile

Full name Joseph Mercer OBE
Born 9 August 1914 in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire [registered in Wirral, September 1914]. To Joseph Powell Mercer & Ethel Daisy (née Breeze), the oldest of four children.

census notes

Cannot be found on the 1939 register.

Married to Norah F. Dyson [registered in West Cheshire, September 1941].
Died 9 August 1990 at his Wirral home, aged 76 years 0 days [registered in Birkenhead, Cheshire, August 1990] following a battle with Alzheimer's Disease.
Funeral at Hoylake Parish Church, 14 August
Height/Weight 5' 9", 10st 7lbs [1922], 11st. 0lbs [1939].

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] & FindMyPast.com

Biographies Football With a Smile - Gary James (James Ward, Halifax 1993, revised 2010)
The Worst of Friends: The Betrayal of Joe Mercer - Colin Shindler (Mainstream Publishing, Edinburgh 2009)
 

x. - A Football Compendium, Peter J. Seddon (1999).

Club Career

Club(s) Schoolboy football filled Joe Mercer's early days around Ellesmore Port and Cheshire Schools. He would be found at Elton Green FC, Shell-Mex FC and Ellesmere Port Town FC, even Runcorn FC. He even apparently had trials with Chester FC and Blackburn Rovers FC, but it was as an amateur with Everton FC in 1931 that got his signature, turning professional on 15 September 1932, forcing himself into the first team and the half-back line.  The war came and went and Sergeant Major Mercer even turned out for Aldershot FC and Chester FC during the war before he returned to Goodison Park, and unfortunately, he found his services surplus to requirements.  His depression was noted by Arsenal FC and after 170 league appearances, with a solitary league goal, on 29 November 1946, they signed Mercer for £7,000, and became club captain within the next season, despite him still living in Liverpool and training at Anfield.  Mercer's career was ended after another 247 league appearances, and two goals, by broken leg suffered on 10 April 1954, he was afterall, forty years of age! Nevertheless, he did not formally retire for another year. He had announced his retirement on 2 May 1953, but re-signed for Arsenal on 24 July.
Club honours FA Charity Shield winner 1932, 1948, 1953, runners-up 1933; FA Cup winners 1932-33, 1949-50, runners-up 1951-52; Football League Champions 1938-39, 1947-48, 1952-53;
Individual honours Football League (one appearance);
Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year winner
1949-50;
Distinctions None

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

Management Career

Club(s) Mercer stepped into management with Sheffield United FC on 18 August 1955, until Aston Villa FC called him who became the their manager, coach, scout and money-raiser in December 1958, despite relative success and failing health (he suffered a stroke), he was sacked upon recovery in July 1964; Mercer fell into retirement. until Manchester City FC sought his services on 13 July 1965, becoming their general manager in October 1971. After a sordid takeover battle a City, Mercer left who became the general manager at Coventry City FC from June 1972, serving as director from April 1975 until his resignation in July 1981.  Even having a go as England's caretaker manager in the summer of 1974 following the sacking of Alf Ramsey.
Club honours Football League Division Two winners 1959-60, 1965-66, Football League Cup winners 1960-61; Football League Champions 1967-68; FA Charity Shield winners 1968, runners-up 1969; FA Cup winners 1968-69; Football League Cup winners 1969-70; European Cup Winners Cup winners 1969-70;

England Career

Player number One of two who became the 651st players (652) to appear for England.
Position(s) Left-half
First match No. 222, 16 November 1938, England 7 Northern Ireland 0, a British Championship match at Old Trafford, Stretford, Manchester, aged 24 years 99 days.
Last match No. 226, 24 May 1939, Romania 0 England 2, an end-of-season tour match at Stadionul Agenţia Naţională de Educaţie Fizică, Bucureşti, aged 24 years 288 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1938-39;
Team honours British Championship winners 1938-39;
Individual honours England war-time/victory (27 appearances, one goal).
Distinctions OBE 1976; Professional Footballers' Association Merit Award 1982; Football Association Hall of Fame 2002.

Beyond England

Ran a grocery business whilst he played at Everton, based at 105-107 Brighton Street in Wallesey. A trade he fell back on before he ventured into club management. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.172./Various Media

 

Joe Mercer - Career Statistics
Squads Apps comp. apps Mins. Goals goals ave.min comp. goals Capt. Disc.
6 5 2 450 0 0 min 0 none none
minutes are an approximation, due to the fact that many matches rarely stick to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time for injuries and errors.

 

Joe Mercer - Match Record - All Matches
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 1 1 0 0 7 0 +7 0 1 7.00 0.00 100.0 +1
Away 4 2 1 1 7 5 +2 0 1 1.75 1.25 62.5 +1
All 5 3 1 1 14 5 +9 0 2 2.80 1.00 70.0 +2

 

Joe Mercer - Match Record - By Type of Match
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
British Championship 2 2 0 0 9 1 +8 0 1 4.50 0.50 100.0 +2
Friendly 3 1 1 1 5 4 +1 0 1 1.667 1.333 50.0 =0
All 5 3 1 1 14 5 +9 0 2 2.80 1.00 70.0 +2

 

Joe Mercer - Match Record - Tournament Matches
British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1938-39 2 2 0 0 9 1 +8 0 1 4.50 0.50 100.0 +2
BC All 2 2 0 0 9 1 +8 0 1 4.50 0.50 100.0 +2
All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 2 2 0 0 9 1 +8 0 1 4.50 0.50 100.0 +2
All 2 2 0 0 9 1 +8 0 1 4.50 0.50 100.0 +2

 

Joe Mercer - Match History
 Club: Everton F.C. - 5 full appearances

F.A. International Select Committee - 5 full capsx

Age 24
- 221 9 November 1938 - England 4 Norway 0, St. James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne Fr HW reserve
1 222 16 November 1938 - England 7 Ireland 0, Old Trafford, Manchester BC HW Start 6
2 223 15 April 1939 - Scotland 1 England 2, Hampden Park, Glasgow AW Start 6
3 224 13 May 1939 - Italy 2 England 2, Stadio Civico San Siro, Milano tour AD Start 6
4 225 18 May 1939 - Yugoslavia 2 England 1, Stadion Beogradski SK, Beograd AL Start 6
5 226 24 May 1939 - Romania 0 England 2, Stadionul ANEF, Bucureşti AW Start 6

Notes

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CG