David Mercer (footballer, born 1893)
David William Mercer (20 March 1893 – 1 June 1950) was an English professional footballer who made over 220 appearances in the Football League for Sheffield United as an outside right. He also played league football for Hull City and Torquay United and won two caps for England.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | David William Mercer[1] | ||
Date of birth | 20 March 1893 | ||
Place of birth | St Helens, England | ||
Date of death | 1 June 1950 57)[2] | (aged||
Place of death | Newton Abbot, England | ||
Position(s) | Outside right | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
Prescot Athletic | |||
–1913 | Skelmersdale United | ||
1913–1920 | Hull City | 91 | (26) |
1920–1928 | Sheffield United | 223 | (22) |
1928–???? | Prescot Cables | ||
????–1929 | Shirebrook | ||
1929–1930 | Torquay United | 28 | (0) |
Dartmouth United | |||
National team | |||
1922–1923 | England | 2 | (1) |
1924 | Football League XI | 1 | (0) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only |
Club career
After beginning his career in non-league football with Prescot Athletic and Skelmersdale United,[3] Mercer joined Second Division club Hull City for a £40 fee on 22 January 1914.[2] He made 91 league appearances and scored 26 goals for the club before moving to First Division Sheffield United on 13 December 1920, for a British record transfer fee of £4,500.[2] He made 223 league appearances and scored 22 goals for the Bramall Lane club and won the 1924–25 FA Cup, before leaving in 1927.[2][4] Aside from a spell with Torquay United during the 1929–30 season, Mercer played the remainder of his career in non-league football.[1]
International and representative career
Mercer represented the Football League XI and won two caps for England, scoring once, in a 6–1 victory over Belgium on 19 March 1923.[2][5]
Personal life
Mercer was the older brother of fellow footballer Arthur Mercer and the pair briefly played together at Sheffield United.[2] Mercer's other brother Richard was an amateur footballer and his son David also became a professional footballer.[2][6][7] In 1911, Mercer was working in a coal mine and in 1939 was he working as a golf club groundsman.[2]
Career statistics
Club | Season | League | FA Cup | Total | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Hull City | 1913–14[8] | Second Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
1914–15[9] | 38 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 43 | 4 | ||
1919–20[8] | 41 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 17 | ||
1920–21[8] | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 5 | ||
Total | 91 | 26 | 6 | 0 | 97 | 26 | ||
Torquay United | 1929–30[10] | Third Division South | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 0 |
Career total | 119 | 26 | 7 | 0 | 126 | 26 |
References
- Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 201. ISBN 190589161X.
- "England Players – David Mercer". www.englandfootballonline.com. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
- "Mercer David Sheffield United 1923". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- "1925 FA Cup Final Result". sportingchronicle.com. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
- "David Mercer". 11v11.com. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- "Players A to Z (L-M)". www.wiganborough.bernardramsdale.com. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
- "David Mercer (footballer, born 1918)". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
- "TigerBase – Player Profile". tigerbase.hullcity.com. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- "Hull City AFC Squad 1914/15". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
- Edwards, Leigh (1997). The Definitive Torquay United F.C.. The Association of Football Statisticians. ISBN 1-899468-09-9.