Joseph "Joe" Mercer, OBE (August 9, 1914 - August 9, 1990) was an English football player and manager. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. Events 48 BC - Caesar's civil war: Battle of Pharsalus - Julius Caesar decisively defeats Pompey at Pharsalus Year 1914 ( MCMXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Events 48 BC - Caesar's civil war: Battle of Pharsalus - Julius Caesar decisively defeats Pompey at Pharsalus Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered

Playing career

Mercer was born in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, the son of a former Nottingham Forest and Tranmere Rovers footballer, also named Joe. Ellesmere Port is a large industrial town and cargo port in the district of Ellesmere Port and Neston, Cheshire, England, situated in the south of the Cheshire (or archaically the County of Chester) is a county in North West England. Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English professional football club based at the City Ground in West Bridgford, a suburb of Nottingham Tranmere Rovers Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League One and based at Prenton Park, Tranmere ^[1] The junior Mercer, a left-half, first played for Ellesmere Port. 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. Everton Football Club is an English football club located in the city of Liverpool. Mercer made 186 appearances for Everton, scoring two goals and a winning a League Championship medal in the 1938-39 season. The Football League First Division was the highest division of The Football League between 1993 and 2004 and the highest division of English football overall between While playing for Everton he gained five England caps between 1938 and 1939. The English national football team represents England in international football and is controlled by The Football Association, the governing body for football

Like many players of his generation, Mercer lost out on seven seasons of football due to the Second World War. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including He became a sergeant-major and 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. Theo Kelly was manager of Everton Football Club from 1939 to 1948. The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Even after consulting an orthopaedic specialist, the Everton management refused to believe him and Mercer had to pay for the surgery himself. During the war Mercer guested for Chester, making his debut in a 4–1 win over Halifax Town in September 1942 ^[2]. Chester City Football Club is an English football club from Chester. Halifax Town Association Football Club were an English football team who most recently played in the Conference National. Events in September It is the start of the academic year in many countries in the Northern Hemisphere. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Mercer moved in late 1946 for £9,000 to Arsenal, commuting 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^[3]. Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary He made his Arsenal debut against Bolton Wanderers on 30 November 1946 and soon after joining Arsenal, Mercer became club captain. Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football club based in Horwich, in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Events 1700 - Battle of Narva — A Swedish army of 8500 men under Charles XII defeats Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. As captain, he led Arsenal through their period of success in the late 1940s and early 1950s, helping to haul his side from the lower end of the table to win a League Championship title in 1947-48.

Mercer went on to win an FA Cup winner's medal in 1950 and was voted FWA Footballer of the Year the same year. The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Writers' Association (the FWA) is an association of England football journalists and correspondents writing for newspapers and agencies founded in He led Arsenal to Cup final in 1952, which they lost 1-0 to Newcastle United, but the following year bounced back to win his third League title with Arsenal winning the 1952-53 League Championship on goal average. The 1952 FA Cup Final took place at Wembley Stadium. It was contested between cup holders Newcastle United and Arsenal. Newcastle United Football Club (also known as The Magpies or The Toon) is an English football club based in Newcastle upon The 1952-53 season was the 73rd season of competitive football in England. In Sports such as Ice hockey and football (soccer, goal difference (that is goals scored minus goals conceded is often the first Tiebreaker Mercer initially decided to retire in May 1953, but soon recanted and returned to Arsenal for the 1953-54 season. However, he broke his leg in two places after a collision with team-mate Joe Wade in a match against Liverpool on April 10, 1954, and finally called time on his footballing career the year after. Joseph Samuel "Joe" Wade ( July 7 1921 – November 12 2005) was an English footballer and manager Liverpool Football Club are an English professional Association football club based in Liverpool England. Events 879 - Louis III becomes King of the Western Franks. 1407 - the lama Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) Mercer played 275 times for Arsenal in all, scoring two goals.

Managerial career

After his playing career ended Mercer spent a little over a year working as a grocer. ^[4] On August 18, 1955, he returned to football, becoming manager of Sheffield United two days before their first game of the season against Newcastle United. Events 293 BC - The oldest known Roman temple to Venus is founded starting the institution of Vinalia Rustica. Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire. Newcastle United Football Club (also known as The Magpies or The Toon) is an English football club based in Newcastle upon Mercer was appointed to replace manager Reg Freeman who had died during the close season. As a manager he began inauspiciously and his first season ended in relegation; despite Mercer buying Derek Pace, who would go on to become a hero at Sheffield United, from Aston Villa for £12,000 on December 26, 1957. Derek 'Doc' Pace (born March 11, 1932, in Bloxwich, England &ndash died October 17, 1989) was a footballer The Pound Sterling ( symbol £; ISO code: GBP) subdivided into 100 pence (singular penny) is the Currency Events 1481 - Battle of Westbrook - Holland defeats troops of Utrecht.

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. The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup, is an English football competition A stroke is the rapidly developing loss of brain functions due to a disturbance in the blood vessels supplying blood to the brain ^[5]

Despite this his health improved and he went on to enjoy great success as a manager with Manchester City between 1965 and 1972. TalkManchester City FC before changing verbs to singular --> Manchester City Football Club is an English professional football club 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. This article is about the stadium for the football club see Maine Road F 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). Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

In 1972 Mercer had a dispute with his assistant Malcolm Allison, who wished to have more influence. Malcolm Alexander Allison (born 5 September 1927 in Dartford) is an English former football player and manager. This led to Mercer's departure to become manager of Coventry City, whom he managed from 1972 to 1975. Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip is an association football club based in Coventry, During the same time Mercer was also caretaker manager of the England national football team for a brief period in 1974 after Sir Alf Ramsey's resignation. The English national football team represents England in international football and is controlled by The Football Association, the governing body for football Sir Alfred Ernest 'Alf' Ramsey (22 January 1920 &ndash 28 April 1999 was a footballer and manager of the English national football team from 1963 to 1974 He was in charge for seven matches, during which time England won the 1974 British Home Championship title (shared with Scotland); in total Mercer was in charge for seven games — winning three, drawing three and losing one. The 1974 British Home Championship Home Nations football tournament was like the two championships which preceded it subject to rescheduled matches due The British Home Championship (also known as the Home International Championship) was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association.

After quitting as Coventry City boss, he served as a director of the club 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. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He died on his 76th birthday in 1990 after suffering a stroke. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar)

References

• Harris, Jeff & Hogg, Tony (ed. ) (1995). Arsenal Who's Who. Independent UK Sports. ISBN 1-899429-03-4.