Joe Mercer

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Joseph "Joe" Mercer, OBE (August 9, 1914 - August 9, 1990) was an English football player and manager.

Mercer was born in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire and at first played for Ellesmere Port Town F.C. Mercer played at left-half. He was a powerful tackler and good at anticipating an opponent's moves. He joined Everton in September 1932 at the age of 18 and claimed a regular first team place in the 1935-36 season. Mercer made 186 appearances for Everton, scoring two goals and a winning a League Championship medal in the 1938-39 season. While playing for Everton he gained five England caps.

Unfortunately, like many players of his generation, Mercer lost out on seven seasons of football due to the Second World War. He became a sergeant-major but nevertheless played in 26 wartime internationals, many of them as captain. The Everton manager Theo Kelly accused Mercer of not trying in an international against Scotland, but in reality Mercer had sustained a severe cartilage injury. Even after consulting an orthopaedic specialist, the Everton management refused to believe him and Mercer had to pay for the surgery himself (after 14 years with the club). Understandably upset, Mercer moved in 1946 for £9,000 to Arsenal, although he commuted from Liverpool. Theo Kelly brought Mercer's boots to the transfer negotiations to prevent Mercer having a reason to go back to say goodbye to the other players at Everton.

At Arsenal, Mercer quickly became captain, and won an FA Cup winner's medal in 1950 and League Championship medals in 1947-48 and 1952-53. Mercer initially decided to retire in May 1953, but recanted and returned to Arsenal for 1953-54. However, he was forced to retire for good that season, after breaking his leg in two places in a match against Liverpool. Mercer played 275 times for Arsenal in all, and was voted FWA Footballer of the Year in 1950.

On August 18, 1955, two days before the first game of the season against Newcastle United, Mercer was appointed to replace Sheffield United manager Reg Freeman who had died during the close season. As a manager he began inauspiciously. He lacked experience and his first season ended in relegation. Although, Mercer was responsible for bringing Derek Pace from Aston Villa to Sheffield United for £12,000 on December 26, 1957, and Pace went on to become the leading scorer at Sheffield United for six consecutive seasons.

The rest of his time as manager was spent in the Second Division and in December 1958, wanting to move to a bigger club, he resigned and moved to Aston Villa who were bottom of the First Division. Although he led them to the FA Cup semi-finals he was relegated to Division Two for a second time.

He moulded a talented young side at Villa and his team became known as the 'Mercer Minors'. He led Villa to victory in the inaugural League Cup in 1961 but suffered a stroke in 1964, and was then sacked by the Aston Villa board upon his recovery.^[1]

Despite this his health improved and he went on to enjoy great success as a manager with Manchester City between 1965 and 1972. His first season at Maine Road added stability, and in his second the club won the 1966 Second Division title to regain top-flight status. Two seasons later Mercer led Manchester City to the 1968 First Division championship, and went on to win the FA Cup (1969), League Cup (1970), and European Cup Winners' Cup (1970). In 1972 Mercer had a dispute with his assistant Malcolm Allison, who wished to have more influence. This led to Mercer's departure to become manager of Coventry City. Mercer managed Coventry from 1972 to 1975, during which Mercer was also caretaker manager of the English national football team for a brief period in 1974 after Sir Alf Ramsey's resignation. He served as a director of Coventry from 1975 to his retirement in 1981.

He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to football in 1976. He died of Alzheimer's disease in August 1990 aged 76.

Preceded by Johnny Carey	Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year 1950	Succeeded by Harry Johnston
Preceded by Alf Ramsey	England national football team manager 1974	Succeeded by Don Revie