27 Facts About Joe Mercer

Joseph Mercer was an English footballer and manager.

Joe Mercer, who played as a defender for Everton and Arsenal in his footballing career, went on to manage Aston Villa and Manchester City, and was the caretaker manager of the England national football team.

Joe Mercer's father died following health problems resulting from a gas attack during the Great War, when Mercer was only 12.

Joe Mercer was a powerful tackler and good at anticipating an opponent's moves.

Joe Mercer became a sergeant-major and played in 26 wartime internationals, many of them as captain.

Joe Mercer made his Arsenal debut against Bolton Wanderers on 30 November 1946 and soon after joining Arsenal, Mercer became club captain.

Joe Mercer went on to win an FA Cup winner's medal in 1950 and was voted FWA Footballer of the Year the same year.

On 10 April 1954, he broke his leg in two places after a collision with teammate Joe Mercer Wade in a match against Liverpool, and finally called time on his footballing career the year after.

Joe Mercer played 275 times for Arsenal in all, scoring two goals.

Joe Mercer was appointed to replace manager Reg Freeman who had died during the close season.

Joe Mercer moulded a talented young side at Villa and his team became known as the "Mercer Minors".

Joe Mercer 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.

Joe Mercer supported the existing board, led by the respected Albert Alexander Sr.

Joe Mercer left Manchester City at the end of the season and became manager of Coventry City, whom he managed from 1972 to 1974.

In total, Joe Mercer was in charge for seven games, winning three of them, drawing another three and losing one.

The FA was so impressed by these performances that questions arose about the possibility of Joe Mercer taking the job on a longer-term basis, with, as an assistant, his Coventry City protege Gordon Milne.

Joe Mercer, too, seemed open to persuasion but the FA was working on another plan, putting out feelers to the most successful English club manager available, Leeds United's Don Revie.

Joe Mercer was an active freemason attending Rivacre Lodge No 5805 at Ellesmere Port.

Joe Mercer was a subject of the television programme This Is Your Life in March 1970, when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews.

Joe Mercer was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to football in 1976.

Joe Mercer suffered with Alzheimer's disease in later life and died, sitting in his favourite armchair, on his 76th birthday in 1990.

Joe Mercer was survived by his widow Norah, who remained a keen football follower, and attended Manchester City matches to support City for many years.

Joe Mercer died in March 2013 and her funeral was attended by 120-plus mourners, including City legends Mike Summerbee, Tony Book, Colin Bell and Joe Corrigan, as well as Bobby Charlton.

Joe Mercer is commemorated by his old club Manchester City with the road Joe Mercer Way at the City of Manchester Stadium being named after him.

At Maine Road, a corporate suite, the Joe Mercer Suite, was officially opened by his widow Norah in 1993.

Joe Mercer is featured upon the mural that surrounds the Emirates Stadium.

Joe Mercer was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame at the National Football Museum in Preston on 4 July 2009.