Billy Mercer (footballer, born 1888)

William Henry Mercer (27 May 1888 – 5 June 1956) was an English professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper in the Football League for Hull City, Huddersfield Town and Blackpool.[1][5] An all-round sportsman, he notably played for Hull Cricket Club and was a prominent snooker player in Yorkshire.[6]

Billy Mercer
Personal information
Full name William Henry Mercer[1]
Date of birth 27 May 1888[2]
Place of birth Prescot, England
Date of death 5 June 1956(1956-06-05) (aged 68)[3]
Place of death Worthing, England[3]
Height 5 ft 10+1⁄2 in (1.79 m)[4]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1908–1909 Grosvenor
1909– Prescot
0000–1914 Prescot Athletic
1914–1924 Hull City 193 (0)
1924–1928 Huddersfield Town 71 (0)
1928–1929 Blackpool 19 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Personal life

Mercer's brother Peter was 1947 National Bowls champion.[7] Mercer served in the Royal Engineers during the First World War and was demobilised in December 1919.[6] Mercer operated a billiard hall in west Hull during the 1930s and 1940s, but by 1948, he was suffering health issues due to mustard gas poisoning he had suffered in 1917, during the course of his war service.[6] Mercer moved to live with his brother Peter in Worthing and died there of a heart complaint in 1956.[6]

Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Hull City 1914–15[6] Second Division 1 0 0 0 1 0
1919–20[6] 17 0 0 0 17 0
1920–21[6] 42 0 5 0 47 0
1921–22[6] 42 0 2 0 44 0
1922–23[6] 39 0 1 0 40 0
1923–24[6] 40 0 2 0 42 0
1924–25[6] 12 0 ― 12 0
Total 193 0 10 0 203 0
Huddersfield Town 1924–25[8] First Division 27 0 1 0 28 0
1925–26[8] 13 0 0 0 13 0
1926–27[8] 8 0 0 0 8 0
1927–28[8] 23 0 7 0 30 0
Total 71 0 8 0 79 0
Career total 264 0 18 0 282 0

Honours

Huddersfield Town

References
  1. Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 202. ISBN 978-1905891610.
  2. "Cables Greats: Four FA Cup Finalists". Prescot Cables Football Club. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  3. "In Memoriam". The Huddersfield Town Collection. 14 January 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  4. "The lure of promotion. Hull City". Athletic News. Manchester. 13 August 1923. p. 6.
  5. "Mercer Billy Hull City 1924". Vintage Footballers. Archived from the original on 27 January 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  6. "Billy Mercer". On Cloud Seven. Archived from the original on 17 June 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  7. "Played bowls for health becomes National England champion". Daily Herald. 29 August 1947. p. 5 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. Thomas, Ian; Thomas, Owen; Hodgson, Alan; Ward, John (18 October 2007). 99 Years and Counting: Stats and Stories. Huddersfield: Huddersfield Town Football Club. ISBN 9780955728105.
  9. Huddersfield Town A.F.C. at the Football Club History Database
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