![]() Ogden's Cigarette card featuring William Mercer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | William Mercer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Prescot district, England | 9 May 1905|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | March 1965 59) St. Helens district, England | (aged|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Wing, Centre, Second-row, Loose forward | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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William Mercer (9 May 1905 [3] – March 1965 (aged 59)) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s. He played at representative level for England and Lancashire, and at club level for St. Helens (captain), as a wing , centre , second-row or loose forward. [1]
Billy Mercer's birth was registered in Prescot district, Lancashire, England, he was a joiner for St. Helens Council, and he died aged 59 in St. Helens district, Lancashire, England.
Billy Mercer won a cap for England while at St. Helens in the 19–35 defeat by Other Nationalities at Thrum Hall, Halifax on Monday 7 April 1930. [2]
Bill Mercer made his début for Lancashire in the 15–7 victory over Cumberland at Whitehaven on Tuesday 29 October 1929, alongside fellow St. Helens player Alf Ellaby who scored three tries, Mercer had two further victories alongside Alf Ellaby, against Yorkshire and Glamorgan and Monmouthshire as Lancashire won the County Championship.
Bill Mercer played at centre in St. Helens' 9–5 victory over Huddersfield in the Championship Final during the 1931–32 season at Belle Vue, Wakefield on Saturday 7 May 1932.
Bill Mercer played in St. Helens' victories in the Lancashire League during the 1929–30 season and 1931–32 season.
Bill Mercer played at centre in St. Helens' 3–10 defeat by Widnes in the 1929–30 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 3 May 1930, in front of a crowd of 36,544.
Bill Mercer made his début for St. Helens in the 15–3 victory over Batley at Knowsley Road on Saturday 26 September 1925, and scored his first try in the 55–6 victory over Bradford Northern at Odsal Stadium on Wednesday 14 April 1926, his last match was the 7–25 defeat by Warrington at Knowsley Road on Saturday 6 November 1937. Bill Mercer did not play in St. Helens' 10–2 victory over Widnes in the 1926 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1926–27 season on Saturday 20 November 1926, George Cotton and Alf Ellaby played as Wings, Alf Frodsham and George Lewis played as Centres, and Les Fairclough played as Stand-off. [4]
Eric Hughes is a retired English rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and coached rugby league in the 1980s and 1990s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for England (Under-15s), and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Widnes, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, St Helens and the Rochdale Hornets, as a wing, centre or stand-off, and coached at club level for Widnes, Rochdale Hornets, St Helens, Leigh and Wigan Warriors. He unwittingly added confusion to the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs team as he was unrelated but played at the same time as the three Australian brothers named Hughes; Garry, Graeme and Mark.
Charles Douglas Laughton is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and coached in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. He played at representative level for Great Britain (captain), winning 15 caps in all, winning a further cap for England, and Lancashire, and at club level for St. Helens, Wigan, Widnes, and Canterbury-Bankstown, as a second-row, or loose forward, and coached at club level for Widnes and Leeds.
Leslie "Les" Jones is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Lancashire, and at club level for St. Helens, as a wing, or centre.
George Nicholls is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. A Great Britain and England international representative forward, he played his club rugby for English sides Widnes and St. Helens. Eventually becoming a St Helens R.F.C. Hall of Fame inductee, he also became the first player to win the Man of Steel Award, Harry Sunderland Trophy and Lance Todd Trophy with the club. With Great Britain, Nicholls also won the 1972 Rugby League World Cup.
Alfred "Alf" Henry Ellaby was an English rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Lancashire, and at club level for St. Helens, and Wigan, as a wing. Ellaby retired as the England and St. Helens' all-time top try-scorer. Ellaby was dubbed the "Hat-trick King", with 31 for his home-town club, St. Helens. Ellaby was Liverpool's first rugby league superstar.
Albert "Alec" Edward Fildes was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Lancashire, and at club level for St Helens Recs and St Helens as a prop, second-row or loose forward.
Raymond "Ray" F. Dutton is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and coached in the 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Runcorn ARLFC, Widnes Rovers ARLFC, Widnes and Whitehaven, as a right-footed toe-end style goal-kicking fullback, and coached at club level for Whitehaven and Widnes Tigers ARLFC.
David Eckersley is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Leigh, St Helens, Widnes, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and Fulham RLFC, as a goal-kicking fullback, centre or stand-off.
Alec Higgins was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England, British Empire and Lancashire, and at club level for Widnes, as a centre, prop, second-row, or loose forward.
Harold Pinner is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for St. Helens, Widnes, Leigh, Bradford Northern and Carlisle, as a loose forward.
Kenneth Kelly is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for St. Helens, Bradford Northern and Warrington, as a stand-off, or scrum-half.
William Benyon is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s, and coached in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Lancashire, and at club level for St Helens, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and Warrington, as a centre or stand-off, and coached at club level for St Helens and Leigh.
Eric Chisnall is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for St Helens and Leigh, as a prop or second-row.
Leslie Stuart Fairclough was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Lancashire, and at club level for St. Helens, as a centre, stand-off, or scrum-half.
Alfred Frodsham was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s, and coached in the 1940s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for St Helens, as a wing, and coached at club level for St. Helens.
Austin J. Rhodes was an English World Cup winning professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s, and coached in the 1970s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, and at club level for St Helens, Leigh and Swinton as a goal-kicking fullback, centre, stand-off or scrum-half, and coached at club level for Swinton and Pilkington Recs.
John Alfred Peacock was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1900s, 1910s and 1920s. He played at representative level for England and Lancashire, and at club level for Runcorn RFC and Warrington, initially as a forward, and then as a specialist hooker.
John Brian Hogan was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for England and Lancashire, and at club level for St. Helens, Wigan, Workington Town, Bradford Northern, Widnes, and Oldham, as a prop, or second-row.
Peter Glynn was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for England, and at club level for St. Helens and Salford, as a fullback, wing, centre, or stand-off.
Nathan Silcock was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England, Rugby League XIII and Lancashire, and at club level for Widnes (captain), as a prop, or second-row.