Joe Mercer

15th June 1972 – 1st May 1974

‘Genial Joe’ is fondly remembered in the city of Coventry. Born in Ellesmere Port in 1914, Joe had an illustrious playing career before and after World War II. He started at Everton and played over 150 games before the war, winning a League Championship medal in 1939 and five England caps at wing half. During the war he was a star, winning 26 unofficial caps and being part of the the famous half-back line of Britton, Cullis and Mercer.

In 1947 Mercer was allowed to leave Goodison Park and moved to Highbury for £7,000. He helped Arsenal to win League championships in 1948 and 1953 and to two FA Cup finals, captaining the winning team against Liverpool in 1950. He was voted the sports writers Footballer of the Year in 1950 but never played for England again, for he was now well into the veteran stage. His playing career ended with a broken leg in April 1954, just before his 40th birthday, and a year later he moved into management with Sheffield United.

After serving his apprenticeship at Bramall Lane he was lured to Villa Park in 1958. He could not save them from relegation in his first season but a year later they took the Second Division championship. He led the team to two successive FA Cup semi finals and to victory in the first League Cup final in 1961. The club’s debts however inhibited him from buying players and in 1964 a stroke forced him to resign.

He was out of the game for a year before making a comeback as manager of Manchester City, in partnership with Malcolm Allison. Within four years they took the club to the Second and First Division titles, the FA Cup, League Cup and the European Cup Winners Cup. The championship win, in 1968, was particularly satisfying for City fans as Manchester United were pipped on the final day of the season.

His team had style, with names like Bell, Summerbee and Lee, and although he and Allison had contrasting temperaments they worked well as a partnership. It was a sad day when Joe was pushed ‘upstairs’ with a cut in salary but within days of his demotion he was on his way to Highfield Road, where he acted as a father-figure to Gordon Milne and encouraged an attacking style. Milne learned a lot from the experienced and wily Mercer which stood him in good stead, becoming City’s longest serving post-war manager.

The ‘M-men’, as they were dubbed, had an inauspicious start at Highfield Road and were forced to sell to reinvest. Out went England centre-half prospect and in came Scots Tommy Hutchison and Colin Stein, to spark an exciting period of the club’s history and a memorable FA Cup run in 1973.

In 1974 after the sacking of Sir Alf Ramsey, Joe was asked to be England’s caretaker manager and he won a lot of admirers with a brand of his own type of football. He said he wanted ‘to put a smile back on the face of English football’.

He was made a director of Coventry City in 1975 and remained in that position until he retired. He was still a familiar figure and well-loved on the Merseyside football scene, watching Tranmere Rovers regularly almost up to his death aged 76 on 9th August 1990.

Division One Manager of the Month November 1972

Joined: 15th June 1972
First game: 12th August 1972 v Tottenham Hotspur, away, First Division, lost 1-2

Left: 1st May 1974
Last game: 27th April 1974 v Arsenal, home, First Division, drew 3-3

106 games as manager

	Lge	Pl	W	D	L	F	A	Pts	Win %	Pos
1972-73	Div 1	42	13	9	20	40	55	35	30.9	19th
1973-74	Div 1	42	14	10	18	43	54	38	33.3	16th
Totals		84	27	19	38	83	109	73	32.1

League Cup: 8 games (4 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses)

Texaco Cup: 4 games (1 draw, 3 losses)

FA Cup: 10 games (5 wins, 3 draws, 2 losses)