Joe Mercer

[Prestwich_Blue]

My time as a City fan started just after Joe & Malcolm's arrival. According to Eric Alexander, both Revie & Shankly expressed an interest in the position at the time and Joe wasn't first choice for the job (but I can't for the life of me remember who was). The board couldn't get hold of the first choice though so offered it to Joe. What a great accident of history that turned out to be.

It's hard to imagine when you remember that seemingly genial man that he'd just recovered from a nervous breakdown when he took the City job on (although it was never specifically referred to as that - either stress or hypertension). That's why he wanted an assistant who could take most of the day-to-day burden off his hands. So he got Big Mal and that was another great accident of history.

There's a great photo of him and Shankly talking in the tunnel and you can just sense the power and dignity of the two men.

 

[blue John]

I have a picture of him on my wall in the games room
He is holding up the cup with a open top bus in the background with the word
SPECIAL on it
and he was

 

[Vienna70]

Not seen that video before, I enjoyed watching it - Thanks!

What a gentleman he was - something that is sadly missing with todays managers!

 

[Born to be Blue]

One of lifes good guys. True City legend and not bad as England manager either.

 

[JULES]

thanks for the memories!

 

[metsoblue]

As part of the song went " Joe Mercer came we played the game we went to rotherham "

 

[squirtyflower]

what great times
its easy to forget just what wonderful football we played from 68 on up into the mid 70's
we should have won the league on at least two other occasions at that time

 

[Gary James]

According to Eric Alexander, both Revie & Shankly expressed an interest in the position at the time and Joe wasn't first choice for the job (but I can't for the life of me remember who was). The board couldn't get hold of the first choice though so offered it to Joe. What a great accident of history that turned out to be.

It's hard to imagine when you remember that seemingly genial man that he'd just recovered from a nervous breakdown when he took the City job on (although it was never specifically referred to as that - either stress or hypertension). That's why he wanted an assistant who could take most of the day-to-day burden off his hands. So he got Big Mal and that was another great accident of history.

I think Eric's memory slipped a bit here. It was actually Shankly and Doherty that were linked with the job, and Doherty was first choice. In 65 City announced there were 3 men they were interested in and the media guessed Shankly, Doherty and couldn't come up with the third name. They assumed Shankly was favourite, but all indications are that it was ex-Blue Doherty. Revie had no interest in leaving Leeds at this point at all and wasn't linked.

When Joe got the job he kept everyone guessing about his number 2 for a few days - everyone assumed it would be Johnny Hart, but Joe knew who he wanted and the appointment of Allison completely stunned everyone as well.

Joe suffered a stroke at Villa, and even though people say the media are too much today, Joe was confronted with some bad headlines including "Mercer Cracks Up".