Joseph Powell Mercer was born in Ellesmere Port on 21st July, 1890. A centre-half, he played local football for Burnell's Ironworks before joining Nottingham Forest in 1910. Mercer scored 6 goals in 150 games before joining Tranmere Rovers in 1921.

Joseph Mercer, whose son Joe Mercer, was later to become an England player, died in 1927.